Louisiana Federal Court Retains Jurisdiction over Hazardous Release Suit Asserting Benzene Exposure

BATON ROUGE, La. –– A Louisiana federal court has retained jurisdiction over a lawsuit asserted on behalf of residents living near an ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) refinery, which the plaintiffs contend leaked benzene into the surrounding area.

In the Nov. 26 order, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana said that the defendants had shown that the amount in controversy meets the jurisdictional requirement pursuant to the Class Action Fairness Act.

Seventeen individuals, including seven minors, brought the instant lawsuit on behalf of a putative class, contending that a leak at an ExxonMobil refinery released hazardous materials, including …