HANCEVILLE, Ala. — A Walker County jury has awarded more than $70 million to an Alabama man who said a Tyson Farms wastewater spill caused a flesh-eating bacterial infection, turning a local pollution case into a multimillion-dollar verdict with statewide attention.
The jury returned the verdict Friday, March 27, in favor of Mark Griffin, a boat repairman who was hospitalized after coming in contact with contaminated water in the Mulberry Fork area, according to published reports. The case centered on a Tyson chicken rendering plant and a hydraulic pump failure that led to a discharge into a creek connected to the river system.
The size of the award — $70 million — is what is drawing the most attention, far exceeding what many observers might expect in a lawsuit tied to an environmental spill and a single injury claim. The verdict also underscores how a wastewater discharge from a poultry plant can lead to major legal and financial consequences.
The case is among the latest in a series of disputes involving Tyson and alleged environmental harm in north Alabama. Local reporting has also raised questions about regulation, plant operations and the potential impact on waterways downstream from poultry facilities.
Tyson and the other defendant in the case have not yet publicly responded in detail to the verdict, according to reports. The award could still face post-trial motions or an appeal.