How much did Erin Brockovich get paid for the PG&E case?
In 1996, PG&E settled the case for $333 million. This was the largest settlement ever awarded in a direct-action lawsuit in the history of the United States. The lawyers received forty percent, which was a little over $133 million. As in the film, attorney Ed Masry rewarded Erin Brockovich with a $2-million bonus.
What was the settlement for the Brockovich case?
The case was settled in 1996 for (US) $333 million, the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit in United States history to that date. Masry & Vititoe, the law firm for which Brockovich was a legal clerk, received $133.6 million of that settlement, and Brockovich received $2.5 million as part of her fee.
What happened to Erin Brockovich’s town?
Hinkley is still best known as the “Erin Brockovich town.” In 1996 a group of residents famously won a massive direct-action arbitration against Pacific Gas and Electric with the help of Brockovich, a savvy single mom and Los Angeles legal clerk.
How much did the Hinkley V Brockovich lawyers get paid?
The lawyers received forty percent, which was a little over $133 million. As in the film, attorney Ed Masry rewarded Erin Brockovich with a $2-million bonus. The more than 600 Hinkley plaintiffs, many of whom had become seriously ill, were in the end left with $196 million to be divided between them.
How much did Erin Brockovich get from the settlement?
Masry & Vititoe, the law firm for which Brockovich was a legal clerk, received $133.6 million of that settlement, and Brockovich received $2.5 million as part of her fee. A study released in 2010 by the California Cancer Registry showed that cancer rates in Hinkley "remained unremarkable from 1988 to 2008".
How much did each Hinkley residents get?
Walker said she knew Hinkley residents who received as little as $10,000 from the settlement — and one that received $2.5 million.
How much did the plaintiffs in Erin Brockovich get?
The 2000 movie "Erin Brockovich" was based on a 1996 case that ended with a $333 million settlement on behalf of more than 600 Hinkley residents. Two years ago, PG&E agreed to pay $295 million to settle other lawsuits involving about 1,100 people.
How much was Erin Brockovich bonus check?
Brockovich was disheartened by the whole process, not least because Jorge had already brought a $3m palimony suit against her after they broke up, which she settled with a "one-time, so-long-Charlie bonus in the form of a $40,000 cheque".
What happened to the Hinkley settlement?
A class-action lawsuit about the contamination was settled in 1996 for $333 million. In 2008, PG&E settled the last of the cases involved with the Hinkley claims. Since then, the town's population has dwindled to the point that in 2016 The New York Times described Hinkley as having slowly become a ghost town.
Did PG & E pay Hinkley?
Pacific Gas & Electric Co., the nation's largest investor-owned utility, agreed Tuesday to pay $333 million to residents of the tiny desert community of Hinkley, Calif., who blamed cancers and other diseases on contaminated water leaking from a gas pumping station.
How much did Ed Masry get from PG&E?
PG&E agreed to settle after the arbitrators awarded the first 39 cases $133 million. Mr. Masry's firm got $40 million.
What was Erin Brockovich's original bonus supposed to be?
She rallies the townfolk. A lawsuit is filed. Brockovich, who turns 40 in June, went from earning $800 a month as a clerk to receiving a $2 million bonus for her work on the case.
Does Erin Brockovich still work for Ed Masry?
Brockovich, who still works for Masry as his research director, testified in the Van Nuys courtroom of Judge Stanley Weisberg that two key pieces of evidence offered by Cohen's lawyer did not strike her as sexual harassment.
Did Erin Brockovich actually get in a car accident?
Hinkley and Hollywood Shortly after her divorce, Brockovich was involved in a severe car accident that necessitated her having neck surgery. She then moved to Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, where she was referred by a friend to the law firm Masry & Vititoe, whom she hired to represent her in her accident case.
Is Hinkley CA still contaminated?
“At some point in the next few years we're going to get some closure,” Banks said. But today there's little left in Hinkley beyond some scattered homes and acres of alfalfa and other grasses, planted to help clean the contamination. “You had a great community out here and now it's gone,” said resident Roger Killian.
Did Erin Brockovich case go to trial?
The case never went to trial, because Pacific Gas & Electric, the utility accused of polluting Hinkley, and the plaintiffs' lawyers agreed to private arbitration before a panel of for-hire judges, some of whom had socialized with the plaintiffs' attorneys.
Did Erin Brockovich marry George?
The character George--the biker boyfriend played by Aaron Eckhart--was based on Erin Brockovich-Ellis's Mexican-American biker boyfriend Jorge. Erin and Jorge did break up, but he did not leave her life.
How many cases did Erin Brockovich win?
She persuaded Ed Masry to take the case, and in 1996 they won a $333 million settlement for 650 plaintiffs, at the time the largest toxic tort settlement in American history.
What happened in the PG&E Kettleman case?
The Kettleman suit was settled for $335 million in 2006. In 2003, Brockovich received settlements of $430,000 from two parties and an undisclosed amount from a third party to settle her lawsuit alleging toxic mold in her Agoura Hills, California, home.
What did PG&E do to amend the situation in Hinckley?
PG&E proposed pumping contaminated water from Hinkley area wells into nearby agricultural land, causing “a chemical process to occur by which the hexavalent chromium is reduced to trivalent chromium, a nontoxic form of chromium,” according to the regulatory filing.
What is Erin Brockovich known for?
Erin Brockovich quickly became known for her spunky personality and determination. “Everywhere I was going in this little community, somebody had asthma, a complaint of a chronic cough, recurring bronchitis, recurring rashes, unusual joint aches, nosebleeds,” Brockovich told “20/20” in a new interview.
When was Erin Brockovich's movie "Erin Brockovich" made?
Courtesy of Erin Brockovich. Erin Brockovich on set of the movie "Erin Brockovich" in 2001. “We're still talking about this, and that movie came out 21 years ago. And it was almost before its time because it was about environmental pollution that we are in the throes of today,” Brockovich.
What did Brockovich say about the ghost town?
Brockovich added, “Everything's boarded. It's a ghost town. That's a good way to end a community in America and poison it and its people.”
How much did Brockovich pay for the PG&E case?
In 1996, the case was settled for $333 million -- the largest ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit at the time.
Why is Brockovich so famous?
Brockovich became a household name after she publicized the water crisis in Hinkley, California. She faced Pacific Gas & Electric in a multi-million dollar lawsuit that eventually inspired a movie.
Who is in charge of cleanup in Hinkley?
Independent consultant Raudel Sanchez is in charge of monitoring the cleanup efforts on behalf of Hinkley residents. PG&E funds Sanchez and his group as part of the settlement.
How much did Michigan pay for the crisis?
I n August 2020 the state of Michigan agreed to pay victims of the crisis $600 million.
How much did Brockovich get paid for the case?
The case was settled in 1996 for US$ 333 million, the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit in United States history. Masry & Vititoe, the law firm for which Brockovich was a legal clerk, received $133.6 million of that settlement, and Brockovich herself received a settlement of $2 million.
Where is Erin Brockovich from?
She has two brothers, Frank Jr. and Thomas (1954–1992), and a sister, Jodie. She graduated from Lawrence High School, then attended Kansas State University, in Manhattan , Kansas, and graduated with an Associate in Applied Arts Degree from Wade College in Dallas, Texas.
What lawsuit did Brockovich and Masry file against the school district?
Brockovich and Masry alleged that 300 cancer cases were linked to the oil wells. Subsequent testing and epidemiological investigation failed to corroborate a substantial link, and Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Wendell Mortimer granted summary judgment against the plaintiffs. In May 2007, the School District announced that it was to be paid $450,000 as reimbursement for legal expenses.
What documentary did Brockovich appear in?
Brockovich had a more extensive role in the 2012 documentary Last Call at the Oasis, which focused on not only water pollution but also the overall state of water scarcity as it relates to water policy in the United States.
Where is the PG&E case?
Pacific Gas & Electric, file BCV 00300) alleged contamination of drinking water with hexavalent chromium (also written as "chromium VI", "Cr-VI" or "Cr-6") in the town of Hinkley, near Barstow in southern California. At the center of the case was a facility, the Hinkley compressor station, built in 1952 as a part of a natural-gas pipeline connecting to the San Francisco Bay Area. Between 1952 and 1966, PG&E used hexavalent chromium in a cooling tower system to fight corrosion. The waste water was discharged to unlined ponds at the site, and some percolated into the groundwater, affecting an area of approximately 2 square miles (5.2 km 2) near the plant. The Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) put the PG&E site under its regulations in 1968.
Where was the prime tanning lawsuit filed?
Brockovich assisted in the filing of a lawsuit against Prime Tanning Corp. of St. Joseph, Missouri in April 2009. The lawsuit claims that waste sludge from the production of leather, containing high levels of hexavalent chromium, was distributed to farmers in northwest Missouri to use as fertilizer on their fields.
Who played Erin Brockovich in Pacific Gas and Electric?
Brockovich's work in bringing litigation against Pacific Gas & Electric was the focus of the 2000 feature film, Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts in the title role. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Writing in a Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. Roberts won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Erin Brockovich. Erin Brockovich herself had a cameo role as a waitress named Julia R.
How much did Roberta get from the settlement?
Roberta is not allowed to say how much she got from the $333 million dollar settlement that gave the screenwriters such a nice bow to wrap up the movie. It was, however, enough to allow her and her husband to build a new home on a hill overlooking Hinkley.
Who is Miles O'Brien?
Miles O’Brien is a veteran, independent journalist who focuses on science, technology and aerospace.
Is it a shame that we cannot be more confident about the water that flows into our homes?
It is a shame that we cannot be more confident about the water that flows into our homes. Regulators at the state and federal level say they have to weigh public health concerns against the economic realities of tougher drinking water standards.
How much did Brockovich get from the settlement?
Brockovich’s attorneys received 133.6 million dollars from the settlement, while Brockovich herself received two million as a bonus. However, in the real story, Brockovich’s attorneys held onto her portion of the money for six months. They finally paid her portion after she threatened several lawsuits.
What is the real Erin Brockovich?
The real Erin was the youngest of four children born in Lawrence, Kansas. After earning an Associate degree in Applied Arts from Wade College in Dallas, Texas, she moved to California in 1982.
How much did the PG&E lawsuit cost?
PG&E settlement: When the case against PG&E settled in 1996 for $333 million, it was the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit in United States history.
What is Erin Brockovich's new case?
Erin Brockovich talks about her new case on "forever chemicals" in our water, and their potential wide-spread health impact. This story contains strong language. The name Erin Brockovich has become synonymous with those who investigate and hold corporations to account for polluting people's water.
Where did the Hinkley case take place?
The case alleged contamination of the water with the carcinogen hexavalent chromium, in the southern California town of Hinkley. "Hinkley woke me up", says Brockovich. "Everyone said the two-headed frog and the green water was normal. I'm like 'bullshit,'" she shouts in a way ...
How many people are exposed to Hinkley?
Nearly 200 million Americans across the country are exposed to unsafe levels of the Hinkley chemical, according to analysis of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data by the non-profit researchers, the Environmental Working Group. This is just one chemical of many blighting the environment.
Why did Flint stop bringing water to Detroit?
In Flint, the state, as cost-cutting measure, stopped bringing in water from nearby Detroit and instead switched the water supply to the Flint River. The water wasn't properly treated and corroded the aging lead pipes, introducing high levels of lead into the drinking water.
How many people rely on water towers?
1.9 billion people rely on natural 'water towers'. The title of her new book, Superman Isn't Coming: Our National Water Crisis and What We the People Can Do About It, suggests the authorities aren't flying to our rescue. But according to Brockovich, people can and should get involved themselves.
Is litigation enough?
Brockovich says: "Litigation is never enough. The money helps, but it won't stop a disease from progressing."
When was the PG&E settlement?
That was 1995 — a year before the settlement with PG&E.
What was the biggest payout ever awarded for a direct action lawsuit?
At the time it was settled, the Hinkley case was the largest payout ever awarded for a direct action lawsuit. Environmental advocates lauded the decision. And of course, the story became an Oscar-winning movie starring Julia Roberts. Grist thanks its sponsors.
Who was responsible for the Hinkley leak?
In the ’90s she collected much of the nuts-and-bolts information about the chromium-6 leak that was attributed to Erin Brockovich in the movie adaptation of the town’s story. (Walker figured so prominently in the story of Hinkley that, in its dramatization, she says her actions were spread over five characters.)
Who said "it gets to where you don't even want to replace your freaking toilet seat because you might be?
Everyone else had to deal with the buyouts and the slow drain of the town where life is not just tenuous but vanishing. As Hinkley resident Roberta Walker put it, “it gets to where you don’t even want to replace your freaking toilet seat because you might be selling it tomorrow. You just let everything go.
Where did Penny Harper live?
Penny Harper moved part-time to Hinkley from Los Angeles in 1974, buying 10 acres of land as a “weekend retreat where there was no smog or traffic or people.” She would bring gallons of water back to L.A. from the well on her land. She was told the water didn’t have to be cleaned with the scores of various chemicals used at big city water treatment facilities. Once she found a decent job in the Hinkley area, she moved there full-time.
When did Masry get a settlement?
In 1997, the firm was one of three that collectively won the $333-million settlement from PG&E;, the world’s largest publicly owned utility. Nearly bankrupted by the lengthy litigation, Masry’s San Fernando Valley firm received a check for about $40 million. The firm moved to Westlake Village, and Masry was named Consumer Advocate of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of California.
Who played Ed Masry in Erin Brockovich?
Ed Masry, the flamboyant, crusading environmental lawyer portrayed by actor Albert Finney in the movie “Erin Brockovich,” which was based on Masry’s landmark $333-million settlement against Pacific Gas & Electric Co. for groundwater contamination in California’s high desert, has died. He was 73.
Why did Masry drive to Hinkley?
Masry was considering retirement when Brockovich found suspicious medical records of residents of Hinkley among the real estate files in his office . She drove to the high desert to question the residents and persuaded Masry to take on their case.
Why did Masry and Kissandra Cohen sue?
Masry blamed his instant fame for some unwanted publicity. Kissandra Cohen, a lawyer in his firm, sued him for wrongful termination and sexual harassment. The same day that civil suit was filed, Brockovich’s former husband and her ex-boyfriend were arrested on suspicion of trying to extort $310,000 from Brockovich and Masry during a videotaped law office sting. The charges against them were later dropped, but their attorney was disbarred and convicted of conspiracy and extortion.
Why did some defend Masry's brutal frankness?
Others defended Masry’s brutal frankness as his way of getting things done.
Who is the second wife of Masry?
Masry is survived by his second wife, Joette, whom he married in 1992; three children from his earlier marriage, Louanna Masry-Weeks, Louis Masry and Nicole Masry-McAdam; two stepchildren, Christopher Levinson and Timothy Engelhart; and 10 grandchildren.
Overview
Pacific Gas & Electric litigation
The case (Anderson, et al. v. Pacific Gas & Electric, file BCV 00300) alleged contamination of drinking water with hexavalent chromium (also written as "chromium VI", "Cr-VI" or "Cr-6") in the town of Hinkley, near Barstow in southern California. At the center of the case was a facility, the Hinkley compressor station, built in 1952 as a part of a natural-gas pipeline connecting to the San Francisco Bay Area. Between 1952 and 1966, PG&E used hexavalent chromium in a cooling tow…
Early life
Brockovich was born Erin Pattee in Lawrence, Kansas, the daughter of Betty Jo (born O'Neal; c. 1923–2008), a journalist, and Frank Pattee (1924–2011), an industrial engineer and football player. She has two brothers, Frank Jr. and Thomas (1954–1992), and a sister, Jodie. She graduated from Lawrence High School, then attended Kansas State University, in Manhattan, Kansas, and graduated with an Associate in Applied Arts Degree from Wade College in Dallas, Texas.
Other litigation
Working with Edward L. Masry, a lawyer based in Thousand Oaks, California, Brockovich went on to participate in other anti-pollution lawsuits. One suit accused the Whitman Corporation of chromium contamination in Willits, California. Another, which listed 1,200 plaintiffs, alleged contamination near PG&E's Kettleman Hills compressor station in Kings County, California, along t…
Awards
• Honorary Doctor of Laws and commencement speaker at Lewis & Clark Law School, Portland, Oregon, in May 2005
• Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters and commencement speaker at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California, on May 5, 2007
• Honorary Master of Arts, Business Communication, from Jones International University, Centennial, Colorado
Movies and television
Brockovich's work in bringing litigation against Pacific Gas & Electric was the focus of the 2000 feature film Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts in the title role. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Writing in a Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. Roberts won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Erin Brockovich. Brockovich herself had a ca…
Books and articles
Brockovich's first book, Take It from Me: Life's a Struggle But You Can Win (ISBN 978-0071383790), was published in 2001. A second book, Superman's Not Coming, was released on August 25, 2020.
In 2021, Brockovich wrote about hormone-disrupting chemicals (such as PFAS) decimating human fertility at an alarming rate.
Personal life
Brockovich has three children: a son Matthew and a daughter Katie from her first marriage to Shawn Brown, and a daughter Elizabeth "Beth" from her second marriage to Steven Brockovich. Her third husband is actor and country musician DJ, Eric L. Ellis. As of 2016, Brockovich resides in Agoura Hills, California, in a house she purchased in 1996 with her US$2.5 million bonus after the Hinkley settlement.