It took over nine years, from the day Michelle Marshall walked into Eric’s office to complain about a toxic sludge and dust in her neighborhood to find justice. But Eric and his firm, Harrell & Nowak, built a case against two companies and their insurers that could not be ignored.
Despite assurances and promises to the State that the Air Liquide calcium hydroxide sludge pond off Chef Mentaur Highway would be reclaimed safely, the companies violated their own plans by spreading the sludge and dust on the roads and into the air. The dust was caustic causing burns, rashes, nose bleeds, and breathing problems for months.
After nine years – through two trials and multiple filings to the Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeals and Supreme Court – the determined neighborhood and Harrell & Nowak secured more than $8 million in damages.
inventor of a chemical injection pump was a minority shareholder in a company. After being asked to leave, he started another pump company only to have his first company sue him. The first company appeared to have one goal in mind – keep Ray, the inventor, from ever making or selling another pump.
Tampa, and Los Angeles. Engineering, machine shop, and coating specialists were involved. The week before trial, a settlement was negotiated. Ultimately, Ray’s new business earned the right to manufacture, make, and repair pumps. Monkey Pumps, and the Banana Factory, in Harvey, remain open for business and are key corporate players in the pneumatic pump business throughout the United States.
