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Story

USA: Wrongful-death lawsuit against oil companies over alleged climate change-fuelled heatwave moves closer to trial

Pxfuel

In May 2025, a woman filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in a Washington state court against ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, Shell, ConocoPhillips, Phillips 66 and Olympic Pipeline, alleging that the defendants contributed to climate change and that climate change contributed to the 2021 heatwave in the Seattle area during which her mother died from hyperthermia.

In July 2026, a Washington state judge rejected the companies’ request to dismiss the lawsuit, including their argument that it was pre-empted by federal law. ConocoPhillips and Olympic Pipeline were removed from the case.

Timeline

  • USA: Judge rejects oil companies’ request to dismiss lawsuit over woman’s heat-related death
    13 Jul 2026
    Article

    A Washington state judge has rejected major oil companies’ request to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a woman over her mother’s death from hyperthermia during the 2021 Pacific Northwest heatwave. The lawsuit alleges that the companies contributed to climate change and that climate change contributed to the extreme heat associated with her mother’s death.

  • USA: Oil companies sued over wrongful death allegedly linked to climate change
    30 May 2025
    Article

    A woman has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against major oil companies ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, Shell, ConocoPhillips, Phillips 66 and Olympic Pipeline in a Washington state court, alleging that her mother’s death during a 2021 heat wave in the Seattle area was caused by climate change driven by the defendants’ emissions.