Our firm serves as lead counsel on behalf of all defendants in the Genesee County Court litigation related to the Flint water crisis. The Flint water crisis began in 2014 when the drinking water source for the city of Flint, Michigan was changed to the Flint River. Plaintiffs’ allege that due to insufficient water treatment, over 100,000 residents were potentially exposed to high levels of lead in the drinking water.
Our firm also acts in a lead role with respect to all cases filed in federal court in Michigan relating to the tragedy. There have been more than 500 cases filed involving thousands of plaintiffs and dozens of class actions seeking certification on behalf of 100,000 plaintiffs from Flint, Michigan. These cases include numerous complex issues including causes of action for personal injury, property damage, wrongful death, 1983 violations, conspiracy and RICO.
Our firm has been involved in determinations by various courts relating to dismissal of many of the governmental defendants (and immunity protection decisions), the Michigan Attorney General’s dismissal of criminal charges, case management orders, and selection of bellwether trials.
In 2022, our firm tried the first bellwether cases in Ann Arbor Michigan. After over six months of trial, the jury could not reach a verdict and the court declared a mistrial. There was no liability or damage finding against our client. To save the time, costs and expenses of a retrial of the same bellwether cases, those four cases have now been resolved. Our firm will be defending our client in the class action case set for trial in October 2023. The trials, partial settlement and the ongoing litigation have received significant national news attention in the United States.
