$70M Verdict - Alabama Jury Holds Tyson Farms Accountable in Flesh-Eating Bacteria Case

A Walker County, Alabama jury delivered a $70 million verdict on March 27, 2026, against Tyson Farms, Inc. and HydraService, Inc. after a boat repairman developed necrotizing fasciitis following a massive wastewater spill into the Black Warrior River. The verdict is the largest in Walker County history.

Mark Griffin, a Dora, Alabama resident, has been battling the consequences of that exposure for nearly seven years. According to his attorneys, Griffin still has a bone infection and an open wound today.

A Spill That Contaminated a Community's Drinking Water Source

In June 2019, approximately 220,000 gallons of chicken rendering wastewater from a Tyson Farms facility in Hanceville, Alabama, spilled into the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River. The wastewater included chicken heads, beaks, blood, bones, and intestines.

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management determined the spill occurred when a temporary pipe system, rented from and maintained by HydraService, Inc., failed.

The Mulberry Fork flows into the Black Warrior River, which serves as the primary drinking water source for much of Walker County, processed at the Laye-Williams Water Treatment Plant. The 2019 incident was the fourth spill from the Hanceville facility since 2011 and previously resulted in a $3 million settlement with the State of Alabama requiring Tyson to take corrective steps.

Boat Repairman Develops Necrotizing Fasciitis

Griffin was working as a boat repairman at the time of the spill. According to a statement from his attorneys, he began feeling ill shortly after the incident. Following multiple rounds of treatment and testing, doctors diagnosed him with necrotizing fasciitis, a severe bacterial infection that destroys the body's soft tissue.

Court records detail the extensive medical procedures Griffin has endured in the years since. As of the verdict, his legal team confirmed he continues to deal with a bone infection and an open wound.

Griffin filed suit in 2020 against Tyson Farms, Inc. and HydraService, Inc., alleging the contaminated wastewater caused his illness.

Four-Week Trial, Record Verdict

The trial lasted four weeks and featured testimony from more than a dozen witnesses. On March 27, 2026, the jury returned a verdict finding:

• Wantonness against Tyson Farms, Inc.
• Negligence against HydraService, Inc.

The $70 million award surpasses the previous Walker County record of $10 million, set in a 2017 medical malpractice case handled by two of the same firms involved in this matter.

The Legal Team Behind the Win

Griffin was represented by two Alabama plaintiff firms working as co-counsel:

• Josh Vick and Dennis Goldasich of Goldasich, Vick & Fulk Attorneys at Law
• Bob Bryan and Clay Boylen of Nelson, Bryan, Boylen & Cross in Jasper, Alabama

"Our firm has been honored to represent Mr. Griffin in this case," said Vick. "Mark is a great guy and unbelievably resilient. He's been through so much over the past seven years, and to be able to obtain this kind of result for him is simply incredible."

Co-counsel Goldasich added: "We are extremely grateful to the jury for their hard work and attentiveness over the course of a four-week trial."

Bryan called it "a historic accomplishment," and Boylen said the verdict was "a historic moment for Walker County."

Tyson's Response and Ongoing Operations

Tyson Foods, which owns Tyson Farms, Inc., issued a statement saying it respects the jury's decision but is "disappointed in the outcome," maintaining that the 2019 spill did not cause Griffin's injuries. The company extended sympathy to Griffin and pointed to infrastructure investments made at the Hanceville facility since acquiring it in August 2018, including permanent underground piping and new air scrubbers.

WBRC reported that attorneys for Tyson Farms and HydraService did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.

What This Verdict Signals for Environmental Liability Cases

The Griffin verdict illustrates how juries respond when a defendant's conduct goes beyond ordinary negligence. The jury's finding of wantonness against Tyson Farms carries particular weight, reflecting a determination that the company's conduct was more than careless. For plaintiff attorneys handling environmental exposure and toxic tort cases, the outcome underscores the value of thorough preparation and willingness to take a complex case to trial.

Plaintiff lawyers who handle verdicts of this magnitude in Alabama and across the country can showcase their results on Major Verdict, the only platform dedicated to publicly displaying plaintiff trial outcomes and notable settlements.

If you or someone you love has been injured due to environmental contamination or toxic exposure, verdicts like this one reflect what juries are prepared to award when the evidence is strong and the legal team is prepared. Find a plaintiff attorney with a proven trial record at Major Verdict.