How will the $600 million settlement affect Flint residents?
If the $600 million settlement were divided equally among Flint's roughly 100,000 residents, each would receive $6,000. But that is not the way the agreed-upon settlement will work. Under the agreement, not all claims will be treated the same.
Who's eligible for water crisis compensation in Flint?
Flint's population at the time of the water crisis was about 100,000, including up to 30,000 minors. Minors are automatically included in the compensation and technically are not considered claimants, but any adults, property owners or businesses are considered claimants. "Everyone is going to have equal access to this program," Pitt said.
How do I file a claim with the Flint Water Court?
People interested in filing a claim can do so by calling 866-536-0717, texting "Flint" to 47177 or visiting www.flintwaterjustice.com. As details for filing a claim become available, they will be listed at www.flintsettlementfacts.org.
How many people will get a settlement for contaminated water?
But the number is expected to grow as people discern whether they qualify under the settlement terms. As it stands, about 80% of the settlement will go to individuals who were minors when first exposed to contaminated water, including 65% for kids 6 and younger, 10% for children aged 7 to 11 and 5% for youth ages 12 to 17.
Who gets money from the Flint Water settlement?
The preliminary agreement specified that about 80% of the net settlement fund will be spent on claims of children who were minors when first exposed to the Flint River water, with a large majority of that amount to be paid for claims of children age six and younger, and earmarking 2% to go to special education services ...
How do you get a settlement with Flint?
How to file a claim: Visit the official Flint water settlement website here. A help line Is available at 800-493-1754 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. It's also available Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. through 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Claims must be filed by May 12.
How many people signed up for the Flint water crisis?
More than half of Flint's 81,000 residents have signed up for a share of the newly announced settlement.
How much does it cost to fix Flint water?
The state said it has already spent $423 million to help Flint recover from the crisis, including a $97 million settlement passed in March to replace all of the city's lead service lines contaminating its water system.
What is the status of Flint Michigan water?
Flint Water Quality Update Since July 2016, the city of Flint's water system has met state and federal standards for lead in drinking water for 12 consecutive monitoring periods. The latest six-month round of monitoring shows Flint's 90th percentile at 10 parts per billion (ppb), below the requirement of 15 ppb.
Why is Flint Michigan so poor?
Since the late 1960s through the end of the 20th century, Flint has suffered from disinvestment, deindustrialization, depopulation, urban decay, as well as high rates of crime, unemployment and poverty. Initially, this took the form of "white flight" that afflicted many urban industrialized American towns and cities.
Is Flint Michigan a poor city?
The Flint metro area's share of extreme poverty – neighborhoods where at least 40% of residents live below the poverty level – is the highest in Michigan, according to a new analysis from the website 24/7 Wall St.
Can you drink the water in Flint?
Flint enters 6th straight year of compliance with water standards for lead. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) today announced that the City of Flint's water system has entered its sixth consecutive year of meeting state and federal standards for lead in drinking water.
Who was involved in the Flint water crisis?
In January 2021, former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and eight other officials were charged with 34 felony counts and seven misdemeanors—41 counts in all—for their role in the crisis. Two officials were charged with involuntary manslaughter....Flint water crisis.TimeApril 25, 2014 – February 10, 2022Convicted1 – Corinne Miller8 more rows
How did the government respond to the Flint water crisis?
President Obama did not declare a state of emergency over Flint's contaminated water until January of 2016. This means that the President's declaration did not occur until almost two years after the water supply was switched. For almost two years, the federal government did not provide aid to the residents of Flint.
How much money has Flint Michigan received?
In November, a federal judge approved a $626 million settlement in response to individual and class-action lawsuits filed on behalf of those harmed by the Flint water crisis.
What is being done to fix the Flint water crisis?
For Americans who stopped following the Flint water crisis after its first few gritty chapters, it might come as a surprise how far the city has come: Today, after nearly $400 million in state and federal spending, Flint has secured a clean water source, distributed filters to all residents who want them, and laid ...
How long will the Flint water crisis settlement take?
Here's how Flint families will get paid in water crisis settlement. The process of distributing $600 million to more than 33,000 Flint water victims will likely take months to complete, and it's unlikely the money for the settlement will be available until the beginning of 2021.
How much of the settlement will go to adults?
While all minors will get a share of the settlement, some will get a greater amount depending on the extent of their injuries. Of the remaining roughly 20% of the settlement, 15% will go to adults with injuries sustained in the crisis, 3% for adults with property damage, 0.5% for economic losses to businesses and 2% for special education services.
What happens after a settlement is approved?
After the settlement is approved and a claims process is established, an administrator will vet claims and supporting documents, and then disperse the money to qualified individuals based on their significance of the injury and the number of people participating in the settlement. "The first step is to educate," Pitt said.
How much of the water settlement goes to minors?
As it stands, about 80% of the settlement will go to individuals who were minors when first exposed to contaminated water, including 65% for kids 6 and younger, 10% for children aged 7 to 11 and 5% for youth ages 12 to 17. While all minors will get a share of the settlement, some will get a greater amount depending on the extent of their injuries.
Is the Legislature expected to appropriate the money in one lump sum payment?
The Legislature is expected to appropriate the money in one lump sum payment so it is available early next year in an escrow account, Pitt said.
Can businesses seek compensation for lost money?
Some businesses also will be able to seek compensation for lost money, according to the preliminary settlement formally announced Thursday.
Is a settlement the same for all claims?
Under the agreement, not all claims will be treated the same . Payouts from the settlement will be made based on a formula that directs more money to younger claimants and to those who can prove greater injury, a formula that is expected to be outlined more clearly after the settlement is approved.
Flint Pediatrician Says Charges Against Ex-Governor Help 'Wounds Finally Close'
"The settlement reached here is a remarkable achievement for many reasons, not the least of which is that it sets forth a comprehensive compensation program and timeline that is consistent for every qualifying participant," U.S. District Judge Judith Levy said. The settlement was announced in August 2020 by Attorney General Dana Nessel and Gov.
This city will rely on bottled water for weeks because of high lead levels
Flint managers appointed by then-Gov. Rick Snyder and regulators in his administration allowed the city to use the Flint River in 2014-15 without treating the water to reduce corrosion.
What percentage of the money goes to Flint?
More than 80 percent of the remaining money after attorney fees will go to Flint residents that were under the age of 18 when exposed to the contaminated water. Lead contaminated water is especially harmful to children — it can cause permanent damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth, and learning and behavioral problems.
How much was the settlement in Michigan?
Last August, Michigan agreed to a preliminary settlement of $600 million. This summer, during a fairness trial, 15 residents objected to the proposed amount, calling for more relief for Flint residents. In District Judge Judith E. Levy’s final ruling this week, she called the settlement “fair, reasonable, and adequate.”
What happened to Flint water?
Nearly seven years after Flint, Michigan’s water supply first became contaminated with lead, a settlement has been reached for the residents who were affected.
What happens next on this whole process?
Attorney Klein said the next step is for the city council to approve the settlement.
What kind of documentation is needed to show personal injury?
Attorney Berg said the way residents will know what to do is by reading the material they receive in the mail.
Catch up on more Flint news on Great Lakes Now
This article, first published in Flint Beat, is republished here through Great Lakes Now’s membership in the Institute for Nonprofit News, a network of more than 200 nonprofit newsrooms across the U.S., working to strengthen the sources of trusted news for thousands of diverse communities.
