In a highly anticipated verdict reached on April 22, 2014, a Dallas County Court at Law jury awarded the Parr family $2.925 million against Aruba Petroleum on a nuisance claim arising out of drilling in the Barnett Shale in Wise County, Texas, near their home.
The vast majority of the verdict is attributable to an award of “soft” damages ($2.25 million for pain and suffering and $400,000 for mental anguish), with only $400,000 awarded for property damage. The Parrs were featured in the movie “Gasland Part II”, which negatively portrayed fracking.
The Parrs originally filed suit against eight defendants comprised of operators and oil field services companies alleging that their activities including construction, operating earthen pits, fugitive venting, emissions, and fracking taking place anywhere from a quarter of a mile to one and three quarters miles from their home in Decatur, Texas, caused them to experience “serious health effects” and caused the devaluation of their property.
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