Environmental damages

The environment is the habitat in which we live. To keep the environment safe, clean and livable, people and businesses must comply with numerous rules. Monitoring compliance with those rules falls to the government.

Unfortunately, environmental damage is an increasingly common problem. Environmental damage can refer to odour or noise nuisance, but can also be the result of the emission of dangerous gases or the discharge of waste products. Fortunately, there is increasing attention to this problem and damage-causers can be held responsible more often. The government has a duty of care as supervisor to ensure as much as possible that environmental damage is prevented. In cases of failed supervision, the government may be responsible for the consequences in addition to the primary polluter.

Our lawyers assist both injured parties with the aim of stopping the damaging event and recover damages, in or out of court, from the damaging party or regulator. The damage may consist of physical injury, but also of economic loss (e.g. business damage, clean-up costs, reduction of the value of the property, loss of enjoyment of living etc.).

Because environmental damage often affects several people or companies, we also bring collective actions on behalf of large groups of victims (see also Class actions). We did so, for example, following the Probo Koala toxic waste disaster.