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Basically, negligence can be described as the act of doing something a reasonable man would not do and a plaintiff must prove in such a case that the defendant owes a duty of care (Donoghue V. Stevenson, 1932). The factual problem is that W.R Grace and Riley Leather contaminated Woburn water supply site resulting sickness and death at Woburn. These companies have a duty care to protect environment while conducting the production activities. However, they breached their duty by disposing hazardous waste that led to death and illness among the citizens in this area.

The death of 12 people of which 8 are kids can be attributed to approximate cause. These companies dumped barrels that contained TCE (Trichlorethylene) carcinogens onto the land and it sipped underground and contaminated the river which negatively affected the health of Woburn people since they use the river as their main source of water supply. For example, Anna Anderson’s son, Jimmy dies because of Leukemia and also another parent lost his son to the same disease on their way to the hospital.

Moreover, one of the employees Palino developed lung cancer among other people who suffer from immune system diseases. These instances support the claim that W.R. Grace and Riley Leather acted in a negligent way since their action negatively impacted on Woburn people’s health. Besides negatively impacting on the health of people, W.R. Grace and Riley Leather also commit other legal case. For instance, they do not allow their employees to say the truth since they are given money or other benefits to remain silent.

The workers risk losing their jobs if they reveal any information related to the dumping activities by these companies. For example, Al is afraid of becoming a whistleblower because he is afraid of losing his job. Additionally, Cheeseman gives him pressure after he reveals some facts about the