Dow Chemical sues Bhopal survivors - Page 2

Dr. Nick · January 3, 2003, 14:26

I'd love to see this turned around in an Indian court ending with Dow having to pay fines to the court for wasting its time and indemnities to the survivors.

MRT144 · January 3, 2003, 15:55

i think the world owes DOW one...

considering the debacle with brest implants which have not been proven scientificly to cause any health problems.

chequita guevara · January 3, 2003, 17:07

Kontiki, when Dow merged with Union Carbide, it became Dow's responsibility.

Adam Smith, the president of Union Carbide ordered the Indian subsidiary to forgo safety procedures. I'll see if I can track down the story for you. The accident was a direct result of his orders.

Since the "accident," many more people have died than the original 2,000 (as Adam Smith touches on with the latency problem). The number is very high.

This wasn't UC's first accident like this either. IIRC, there was an accident similar to this in the Carolinas or Virginias in the 1960s. Since far fewer people lived in the valley, far fewer were injured.

Ted Striker · January 3, 2003, 18:04

There's a good movie about a similar situation that happened in America starring John Travolta. "A Civil ____" something. They had to go to extreme lengths to prove their case even though a number of people in town had gotten really sick.

"Hey Kottah! Yo I wuz seeing theza tocksack waist dumpin heeyah." *Does Saturday Night Fever Dance*

Kropotkin · January 3, 2003, 18:20

There is no such thing as a good movie staring John Travolta!!!

Sarxis · January 3, 2003, 18:35

http://www.dow.com/assistance/thoughts.htm

Let them know how you feel. Nothing hurts a corporation or government official more than bad popular opinion.

General Ludd · January 3, 2003, 18:43

Quote:

Originally posted by Anun Ik Oba
http://www.dow.com/assistance/thoughts.htm

Let them know how you feel. Nothing hurts a corporation or government official more than bad popular opinion.

I'm sure your email adress would be compensation enough.

Nubclear · January 3, 2003, 18:52

Quote:

Originally posted by Osweld

I'm sure your email adress would be compensation enough.

Happy now?

Anyway, this is horrible. Inexcusable.

Edit: This is......capitalism

General Ludd · January 3, 2003, 18:57

Quote:

Originally posted by Tassadar5000

Says the one who bans meat! :doitnow:

Ehm, would you stop replying to all my posts with that? Especially outside the nationstates forum.

Seneca · January 3, 2003, 20:10

There's a good movie about a similar situation that happened in America starring John Travolta.

I saw that - they got a rather poor deal for the victims, but in the process worked round the clock and more or less bankrupt their own business, having to dip into their own pockets to keep the thing going.

I felt the victims could at least have said 'Thanks for trying'...

Ted Striker · January 3, 2003, 21:40

Yeah I agree Seneca, I mean I realize they were wronged but those guys gave up their whole lives to try and help them.

Not even a thank you!

Adam Smith · January 3, 2003, 23:19

Quote:

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
the president of Union Carbide ordered the Indian subsidiary to forgo safety procedures. I'll see if I can track down the story for you. The accident was a direct result of his orders.

I dug through the Bhopal stories pretty thoroughly a couple of months ago as part of an effort to determine possible casualties resulting from a terrorist gas attack. The stories I saw, in multiple sources, were that many of the safety devices were not kept in appropriate condition. This was attributed to the Indian subsidiary. All parties agreed that the decision to overfill the tank was made at the plant level. If you can track other information I would certainly be interested in seeing it. Thanks.

Also, latency can take years. In 1983 there was a huge hazardous materials accident in Livingston, LA. The railroad involved in the accident paid the last wrongful death claim in 1999, to a state policeman who developed a rare form of lung cancer after breathing the fumes. The railroad did not even contest the case in court.

monolith94 · January 3, 2003, 23:53

"There's a good movie about a similar situation that happened in America starring John Travolta. "A Civil ____" something."

A Civil Action, yeah, my mom worked on that case.

The vast majority of those represnted did thank schlictman, conway and crowley, in real life.
And the company that did get off made no last minute settlement that was rejected by J. Schlictmann - that was a fabrication of the movie.
Trust me, I know alot about the case!

Seneca · January 3, 2003, 23:58

Thanks monolith - I'm happier for knowing that.

Ted Striker · January 3, 2003, 23:59

Yeah, me too monolith, glad to hear it wasn't as bad as they said.

Did the firm really break up and go broke as they said?