Primary Location
Seal Beach Personal Injury Lawyers
207 Main St, Seal Beach, CA 90740
Phone: (562) 620-8075
Call us at (855) 855-8910
Call us at (855) 855-8910
Update, October 27, 2026. The GKN claims program is now open at GKNGGClaimsProgram.com. On October 19, an Orange County judge approved a $125 million agreement between the Orange County District Attorney and GKN Aerospace. It includes a claims program of up to $100 million for people and businesses forced out by the May evacuation. See how to file. For questions about cleanup, air-quality testing, or property re-entry, refer to official sources including the Orange County Fire Authority, the Orange County Health Care Agency, and the City of Garden Grove. In an emergency, call 911. This page is general information about your legal options, not safety or emergency guidance.
On May 21, 2026, a storage tank at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove overheated and released methyl methacrylate vapor into the air, forcing tens of thousands of residents across Garden Grove, West Anaheim, Cypress, Buena Park, Stanton, and Westminster from their homes. The evacuation orders have since been lifted, but the disruption, costs, and health concerns remain. If you or your family were evacuated, exposed to the fumes, or had your life upended, you may have legal options. Simon Law Group offers a free, confidential case review.
A member of our intake team will reach out shortly. If you need to speak with someone now, call (844) 843-8326.
On Thursday, May 21, 2026, a storage tank at the GKN Aerospace facility on Western Avenue in Garden Grove, near the Cypress border, overheated and began releasing methyl methacrylate vapor into the surrounding air. Orange County Fire Authority crews worked to cool and stabilize the tank. On the evening of May 26, 2026, OCFA announced that the threat of explosion, fire, and further chemical release had been eliminated, and the last evacuation orders were lifted, allowing all residents to return home. The emergency response then transitioned to a cleanup phase overseen by county health officials, including removal of the remaining chemical and waste. No injuries were reported during the incident.
Evacuation orders were issued, lifted, and reissued more than once as conditions changed. At its peak, the evacuation zone covered roughly 50,000 residents across a nine-square-mile area spanning portions of Garden Grove, West Anaheim, Cypress, Buena Park, Stanton, and Westminster. School campuses across several districts were closed, and evacuation centers were opened at Stanton City Hall, the Garden Grove Sports & Recreation Center, the Cypress Recreation Center, Freedom Hall in Fountain Valley, Oceanview High School in Huntington Beach, and Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley.
Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency on May 23, 2026, and a federal emergency declaration for the incident was signed on May 25, 2026, underscoring the scale of the response.
Since then, several proposed class action and individual lawsuits have been filed against GKN in Orange County Superior Court and in federal court. On October 19, 2026, a judge approved a separate $125 million agreement between GKN and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, including a claims program of up to $100 million for evacuated residents and businesses. A free case review can help you understand your options before you decide anything.
If you live, work, or send your children to school in any of these communities, this release may have a direct effect on you and your family.
Methyl methacrylate (MMA) is a volatile chemical with a strong, sharp odor. Short-term exposure to MMA vapor is known to cause a range of symptoms.
People with asthma or other respiratory conditions, young children, older adults, and pregnant residents can be more sensitive to these effects. If you or a family member experienced symptoms during or after the release, document them and seek medical attention. A medical record created close in time to the exposure matters.
Attorney Bob Simon on the Garden Grove chemical release.
When a chemical release forces people out of their homes, the disruption is real and it has costs. Depending on the facts, residents affected by an incident like this may be able to recover for:
Medical evaluation and treatment for exposure-related symptoms.
Hotel, lodging, and meal costs incurred during the evacuation.
Lost wages from missed work, including time lost to school closures.
Disruption to a business, including a home-based or local business inside the zone.
The loss of safe use and enjoyment of your home.
Every situation is different, and only a review of your specific facts can tell you what may apply. That review is free.
On Monday, October 19, 2026, an Orange County Superior Court judge approved a $125 million agreement between the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and GKN Aerospace. Up to $100 million of it goes to a claims program for people and businesses affected by the May evacuation. An independent company not tied to GKN will run the program.
Lodging. Up to $300 a night for up to five nights. In some cases, up to $500 a night, or extra nights.
Meals. $50 per person per day for up to five days.
Getting around. $20 per household per day for up to five days, or up to $50 a day if you have receipts.
Loss of use of your home. $500 per household. This covers things like toiletries, clothes, pet care, boarding and childcare. You don’t need receipts for it, just a completed claim form.
Lost wages. Up to $500 a day for hourly workers who missed work because of the evacuation, for up to three workdays. You’ll need proof.
Business losses. Up to $5,000 a day in lost profits for businesses that were required to close. You’ll need proof.
Help will be offered in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Korean. If you got help from the United Way OC Community Resilience Fund, GKN says you can still file a claim.
The claims website opened at noon on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. An independent claims administrator runs the program, and a retired federal judge oversees it. GKN says it does not run the program.
For meals and the basic $20 a day for transportation, a written statement (an attestation) can stand in for receipts.
Filing a claim doesn’t give up your rights. Accepting an offer does. To get paid, you and everyone on your claim have to sign a release of all past, present and future claims against GKN and related companies and people tied to the incident. You also have to drop any lawsuit you’ve filed, and you give up any part in a future lawsuit or settlement against GKN over the incident. GKN’s own program guidelines say a lawsuit, if successful, could result in a higher recovery than the claims program. If you had medical symptoms, larger losses than the program covers, or you’re not sure what to do, talk to a lawyer before you accept. A review with Simon Law Group is free.
The facts and your records are clearest right after an event like this. Here is what to do today.
If you have symptoms, see a provider and tell them you may have been exposed to a chemical release.
Where you were, when, what you smelled or felt, and how long it lasted. Memory fades; notes don’t.
Hotels, meals, gas, missed work, and anything else the evacuation cost you.
Photos, evacuation alerts, text messages, and any official notices you received.
Before you file a claim, sign anything or accept a payment, get independent advice. A review costs nothing.
Founding partners. Simon Law Group, Seal Beach.
No cost, no pressure, and you decide what happens next. Call or fill out the form and a member of our intake team will reach out promptly.
Attorney advertising. This page is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Contacting Simon Law Group or submitting a form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Information current as of October 27, 2026. For official updates on cleanup and recovery, refer to the Orange County Fire Authority, the Orange County Health Care Agency, and the City of Garden Grove.
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Primary Location
207 Main St, Seal Beach, CA 90740
Phone: (562) 620-8075