Hicks Thomas LLP Obtains Defense Verdict for R.R. Street in California Water Contamination...

Hicks Thomas LLP Obtains Defense Verdict for R.R. Street in California Water
Contamination Case

SAN FRANCISCO, May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorneys from Houston-based Hicks
Thomas LLP are announcing a take-nothing defense verdict handed down late
yesterday in favor of Naperville, Ill.-based R.R. Street & Co. Inc. in a water
contamination lawsuit filed by the City of Modesto, Calif.

The City of Modesto sued Street, Midland, Michigan-based Dow Chemical Company,
Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries and others in 1998 based on claims that the
companies failed to warn local dry cleaning businesses about the potential
risks of a solvent that allegedly contaminated underground water. The
chemical, perchloroethylene (PERC), is widely used in the U.S. dry cleaning
industry.

Attorneys for the city claimed that city water wells at multiple sites were
contaminated by PERC, and sought a verdict that would require the defendants
to help pay for cleanup. However, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Ernest H.
Goldsmith dismissed the majority of the sites from the case, finding that
there was no evidence of damage to the city that was caused by the companies'
products.

The May 18, 2009 verdict found with respect to Street that the benefits of
PERC outweighed any potential risks and that there was no failure to warn on
the part of Street. Jurors assessed $18 million in damages against Dow
Chemical and PPG for contamination at one of the well sites; however
settlement credits from other defendants are expected to offset that award.

"R.R. Street has always worked with the highest standards for safety," says
John Thomas, a partner in Hicks Thomas and lead counsel for the company. "We
are pleased that the jury carefully reviewed the facts in this case and found
no wrongdoing by our client."

In 2006, the city won a $3 million verdict in an earlier phase of the trial
involving four additional well sites. That award was offset by recoveries the
city made in settlements with other parties.

"As a company, the quality and safe use of our products is of utmost
importance," says L. Ross Beard, CEO of R.R. Street & Co. Inc. "We are
gratified that the jury agreed that Street acted properly, and we would like
to thank John and the rest of the Hicks Thomas team for their hard work."

Founded in 1997, Hicks Thomas LLP is a premier litigation firm representing
plaintiffs and defendants in Texas, California and across the nation. The
firm's in-depth experience includes oil and gas, environmental, toxic tort,
products liability, corporate governance, securities, banking, insurance
coverage, transportation, and trade secrets litigation.

For more information, contact Alan Bentrup at 800-559-4534 (office),
713-553-3358 (cell) or alan@androvett.com.

SOURCE Hicks Thomas LLP

Alan Bentrup, office, 1-800-559-4534, cell, +1-713-553-3358,
alan@androvett.com, for Hicks Thomas LLP