Oil & Gas Blog -Nuisance Claims

Oil & Gas Blog -Nuisance Claims

Oil & Gas Blog -Nuisance Claims

Picture this scenario, you just built your dream house on a beautiful piece of property in the country side. Some of your favorite things about the property are the view of the beautiful rolling hills from your deck, the fact that you can allow your children to run free around your property without worrying about their safety, and the peace and quiet you come home to after a long day of work.  One day, you notice several men doing work on the property across the street.  Soon, several men turn into many large trucks that are kicking up dirt on your property.  Next, you are told by your neighbors that an oil and gas company bought the property across the street and will be using it for their operations. Over the next several months, your family is forced to deal with noise and light on your property during all hours of the day and night.  Not only can you not sleep at night, but you wake up to smell odd fumes and odors, walk out on your deck and see your property covered in dust and dirt, only to look up and see a large flare across the street.  Your air conditioner no longer works and you believe that cracks are starting to form in the foundation of your house. Moreover, no one wants to live on your property and, as a result, it is worth less than half of its previous value.  Your little piece of paradise now looks more like an industrial zone and there is no end in sight. Many of our clients have called with similar stories, wondering what rights, if any, they have.  In West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania, individuals have the right to bring a claim for substantial and unreasonable interference with the private use and quiet enjoyment of their land.  This blog will not discuss the technical aspects of the laws of each state, but I do want to let our readers know that they may be entitled to compensation for the loss of their property value, stress and anxiety, annoyance, inconvenience and other issues caused by oil and gas operations. In many cases, the oil and gas company has the right to use neighboring properties for their operations.  However, you may be entitled to compensation for the damages their operations cause to your property.  It would be impossible for me to write a blog discussing the laws of different states and how they may apply to all of the different scenarios that could exist.  Therefore, if you have a question regarding the damages that someone else is causing to your property, always feel free to call our office for a free consultation.  Many times, if I cannot help someone, I do my best to point them in the direction of someone who can.