Jurors in Jacksonville, Maryland returned a $1.5 billion dollar verdict against Exxon Mobil Corp. for an underground gas leak at a gasoline station in the small northern community. The jury awarded $495 million for compensatory damages and $1 billion for punitive damages. The money is being split among 160 families and small businesses that were affected by the leak.

ExxonMobil's lawyers argued, during the six month long trial, that the leak was an accident and that the international corporation worked hard to repair the damage. The jury ultimately found that Exxon intentionally and knowingly misled local and state officials about the gas station's equipment as well as the cleanup of the 26,000 gallons of regular unleaded gasoline that leaked into groundwater, contaminating hundreds of family wells. The gasoline contained the additive MTBE (an oxygenate). MTBE can contaminate groundwater when it leaks from underground storage tanks (USTs) at gas stations. 

The 160 plaintiff's were represented by The Law Office of Peter G. Angelos, P.C. The attorneys at the Angelos' firm entrusted their trial presentation needs to Trial Exhibits, Inc. Trial Exhibits provided extensive 3D animations showing groundwater contamination, product failure and anatomy of the gas station fueling system. TEI also provided graphic design, trial preparation and in courtroom presentation services for the six month trial.