Who is a Class Member
Class members of the Detroit Marathon Explosion Class Action Settlement include property owners and tenants who resided within certain parameters in the City of Melvindale on April 27, 2013 and meet the requirements detailed on the Settlement Notice and website.
If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other class action settlements you may be eligible for.
Estimated Award
- $100 Marathon Gas Card
Under the terms of the Detroit Marathon Explosion Class Action Settlement, Marathon will provide $100 Marathon gas cards to the first 200 Class Member households that submit valid and timely claim forms. Households that already received a gas card from Marathon following the April 27, 2013 explosion are not eligible to receive a gas card under the Settlement Agreement.
Proof of Purchase
- To receive compensation, Settlement Class Members must complete and submit a notarized Affidavit Claim Form and Class Member Release form, along with a copy of documentation of ownership (such as a current utility bill), or if you are a tenant, then a copy of a valid lease or rental agreement.
Claim Form
Detroit Marathon Explosion Settlement Notes
- Anna Widdis, et al. v. Marathon Petroleum Corporation, et al.
- Case No. 13-cv-12925
- Pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division
In April 2013, Plaintiffs Jason Bastien and Anna Widdis filed class action lawsuit against Marathon alleging claims of negligence and nuisance based on an explosion and fire that occurred at the Detroit Marathon Refinery on April 27, 2013. Specifically, the plaintiffs claim that Marathon failed to “design, monitor, or maintain the above-ground storage tank” involved in the explosion and fire, which caused Melvindale residents to suffer loss of use and enjoyment of their property.
Marathon denies the allegations and any liability, and that the class members suffered any damages but has entered into a settlement in order to avoid the cost of further litigation. Under the terms of the Marathon Explosion settlement, Marathon will pay $1,000 each to Bastien and Widdis and will provide $100 Marathon gas cards to the first 200 Class Member households who submit a valid and timely claim.
Additionally, as part of the settlement benefits, Marathon has rebuilt and redesigned the above-ground storage tank involved in the explosion and modified another above-ground storage tank in similar service. These modifications cost around $2 million and include converting tanks from a nitrogen blanketed closet tank to a free venting design, which allows natural oxidation in the tank.
Complete details are provided in the Settlement Agreement, which was preliminarily approved . The Settlement Agreement and other related documents are available on the Detroit Marathon Explosion Class Action Settlement website.
Class members who wish to opt out or object to the terms of the Detroit Marathon Explosion Class Action Settlement must do so by January 10, 2018. Class members who wish to submit a claim for payment must do so by January 25, 2018.
Important Dates
- 1/25/18: Claim Form Deadline
- 1/10/18: Opt Out or Objection Deadline
- 2/6/18: Final Fairness Hearing at 3:00 pm ET* (class members do not need to attend this hearing in order to receive a slice of the settlement pie).
*Settlement Class Members who wish to speak at the hearing should check Detroit Marathon Explosion Class Action Settlement website to confirm that the date or time of the Hearing has not been changed.
Contact Information
- Mail: Marathon Explosion Class Action Settlement, c/o Liddle & Dubin PC, 975 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit, MI 48207
- Phone: 1-800-536-0045
- Email: info@ldclassaction.com
Class Counsel
- Elizabeth Thomson of Hertz Schram PC
- Laura L. Sheets of Liddle & Dubin PC
Settlement Website