Climate Change Wrongful Death Suit Sent Back to State Court
WASHINGTON — The wrongful death case of a Seattle-area family of a woman who died during a 2021 heat wave will be sent back to state court. In the remand order, the judge rejected the defendants’ arguments that Olympic Pipe Line Company LLC was not a proper defendant and that, therefore, the case belonged in federal court. In response, David Arkush, director of Public Citizen’s Climate Program, issued the following statement:
“Although the case concerned jurisdiction, the judge’s ruling returning Juliana Leon’s wrongful death suit to state court underscores that the claims are, on their face, viable, and Leon could win before a jury. This ruling is an important step toward Big Oil potentially being held accountable for deceptive and lethal conduct.”
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