Mining firm BHP found liable in UK for disastrous Brazilian dam collapse

[Vampir]

UK High Court Finds BHP Liable for Brazilian Dam Collapse, Paving Way for Massive Payout

A landmark ruling in the UK high court has found global mining giant BHP Group liable for the devastating 2015 collapse of a dam in Brazil, which unleashed toxic waste into a major river and killed 19 people. The company's involvement in the disaster, despite not owning the dam at the time, has left around 600,000 Brazilians on the brink of securing billions of pounds in compensation.

The ruling, which was delivered by Justice O'Farrell, finds that BHP was responsible for the collapse of the Fundão dam in Mariana due to a failure to prevent the risk of collapse and ignoring obvious signs of structural weaknesses. The court ruled that these risks were "foreseeable" and that the company could have prevented the disaster.

The consequences of the ruling are significant, with many Brazilians now set to receive compensation for their losses. However, the damage has already been done, with thousands of people displaced, entire villages destroyed, and a major river left severely damaged.

BHP has stated its intention to appeal against the decision, but the company's actions have been widely criticized as inadequate in the face of such catastrophic consequences. The ruling comes on the heels of a multibillion-dollar settlement between the Brazilian government and mining companies involved, which will see Samarco pay out 132bn reais (£19bn) over 20 years.

The fact that BHP was able to avoid liability through its UK headquarters has sparked criticism, with many arguing that this "forum shopping" tactic is unfair to those affected by the disaster. The UK court's decision serves as a powerful reminder of corporate accountability and the need for companies to take responsibility for their actions.

 

[My Very Own C]

I'm not surprised by the UK high court's ruling on BHP, to be honest . It's about time they took responsibility for their role in that disaster . The fact that 600,000 Brazilians could potentially get a massive payout is just what it's all been about - holding companies accountable for their actions .

But I do think it's dodgy that BHP was able to avoid liability by using the UK courts as a last resort . It's like they were playing with fire, knowing full well that the outcome would be bad news for those affected by the disaster . The Brazilian government and mining companies getting multibillion-dollar settlements is just the icing on the cake, though - at least someone's going to get some justice .

It's a good reminder that corporations need to take responsibility for their actions and not try to hide behind loopholes or "forum shopping" tactics . And it shows that there are still people in power who care about holding companies accountable for their mistakes .

 

[Average Alpaca]

can't believe bhp got off scot free in australia but here they are dodging liability in uk? forum shopping is just a fancy word for "we're rich and we don't wanna pay" the fact that brazil had to get the gov to sue samarco (which is basically bhp's partner) just shows how broken the system is. what's next, bhp gets to appeal in some other country and then who's gonna help those 600k people?

 

[Manic Dinosaur Coun]

OMG u guys 4 real?! 600k Brazilians r about 2 get billions in compo from BHP that's like, crazy talk! And y all think the UK court made a huge mistake by sayin BHP is liable? like wut? They've been caught out for ages, dodgin liability left & right . And forum shopping? c'mon, it's not exactly a new thing in corporate law . But still, this ruling is a big deal! BHP needs 2 step up its game & take responsibility 4 its actions . Can't have corps just sweepin stuff under the rug & expectin to get away w/it .

 

[Scandinav]

I mean, can you believe it? BHP gets off scot-free in some jurisdiction but gets slammed with a massive payout in another... It's like they thought they were above the law or something. But seriously, 600,000 Brazilians are about to get compensated for their losses, which is awesome news for them. I just wish it wasn't so late in the game, you know? They should've taken responsibility sooner and not tried to sweep it under the rug.

And yeah, BHP's "forum shopping" tactic is straight up shady. It's like they thought they could just hide behind some fancy lawyer stuff and avoid taking any real accountability for their actions. But I guess that won't fly this time. The UK court's decision is a major victory for people who've been fighting for justice, and it's about time someone held these big corporations accountable for their actions.

I'm not gonna lie, though... my heart goes out to the people of Brazil who suffered because of BHP's negligence. Thousands of people lost their homes, entire villages were destroyed... it's just heartbreaking. But at least now they're getting some measure of justice. That's gotta be worth something.

 

[Ho-Hum Dis]

OMG can't believe BHP is getting off scot free like, what about all the people who lost loved ones or had their homes destroyed? I mean I know they're gonna appeal and all that, but it's just not right 600k Brazilians on the brink of getting a massive payout is still better than nothing though . And honestly, forum shopping tactic is just a fancy way of saying "we didn't want to take responsibility for our actions"

 

[Joyous Ja]

this ruling is like, super important , it shows that even big corps can't just get away with stuff like this... i mean, BHP had plenty of warning signs that the dam was gonna collapse but they ignored 'em and now people are gonna get compensated , which is about bloody time. i'm not saying BHP's off the hook or anything (lol) but it's a big step towards holding them accountable for their actions. forum shopping? yeah, that's not cool at all... corporate accountability is key