Claxton family files suit against TVA
Allege members suffer illnesses from coal ash
An Anderson County couple has filed a lawsuit against Tennessee Valley Authority in Anderson County Circuit Court alleging the family suffers multiple health problems brought on by the TVA Bull Run Steam Plant.
Cruze and Amber Tucker, who live about a half-mile from Bull Run, allege in their suit that coal ash — the byproduct of burning coal — is the source of their family’s health issues.
The Tuckers, and their two children, are asking for $30 million for their health issues, plus punitive damages.
The Tuckers are represented by Knoxville lawyers James K. Scott, Keith D. Stewart, and J. Tyler Roper. The firm has also represented workers from TVA’s Kingston plant who suffered health issues.
According to the suit, filed last week, “ ... TVA has not transparently been a good corporate citizen in this regard, and making it even more egregious TVA has selected lower income communities for creation and storage for this poisonous activity, because lower income communities have a decreased ability to resist this hazardous practice by TVA due to lack of money, compared to TVA’s ability to falsely shape beliefs and opinions due to its billion-dollar PR marketing and lobbying power.”
The suit alleges the Tuckers’ son, “has had to endure seven surgeries at a mere 19 months of age, while suffering from neurological, heart, lung, skin and other severe health problems that will follow him for life.”
The daughter, the suit alleges, suffers from numerous ailments, including neurological problems.
The family, the suit says, has “lung, skin, sinus, and other health problems.”
A spokesman for TVA said the federal utility would not comment on pending litigation.
