A group of Binghamton area flood victims are filing suit Thursday claiming the state and municipalities were negligent in their handling of the 2011 floods.
Lawyer Ronald Benjamin has called a news conference for Thursday afternoon to announce he's filed notices of claims on behalf of 45 residents and businesses. The claims accuse the State of New York, City of Binghamton, Johnson City and the towns of Conklin, Union, Vestal and Owego of activities that caused substantial property losses.
Benjamin told CNY Central's Jim Kenyon that "each of these cases are unique." He said some of the victims and businesses claim that municipal pumps did not work, that levees were not properly maintained and in one case there was an intentional effort to divert water from Route 11 which "ended up flooding Louisa Street" in Binghamton.
The September flooding resulted from the remnants of tropical storm Lee and caused extensive damage throughout the southern tier..
