October 3, 2024
A Michigan federal judge on Thursday gave the final approval to a $25 million settlement to end claims from a class of Flint adults and businesses accusing a firm of failing to properly alert officials about the dangers of the city’s water, noting that the case took years to resolve because it involved complicated legal issues.
U.S. District Judge Judith E. Levy said the settlement with the class of about 45,000 plaintiffs and water firm Veolia North America is adequate and was reached through fair negotiations after about eight years of litigation, taking a moment to say she wished members of the public were better able to track case developments, because then they might have more understanding as to why the process took as long as it did.
“I wish the public had a closer ability to follow [this case] because it seems that I read articles in the media about how ‘it’s now 10 years and some months passed from the beginning of what’s called the Flint water crisis and why isn’t this done,’ and it turns out that the arguments are complex. The science is difficult. The number of people who were involved in this elevates the complexity of the process,” Judge Levy said.
The settlement received no objections and just four of the members opted out, the judge said.
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Ted Leopold of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, co-lead counsel for the class, told Law360 on Thursday that the decision was appropriate.
“We are very pleased with today’s proceedings and believe today is one more step towards closure of a very sad period in the life of the Flint community,” Leopold said.
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The class is represented by Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, Pitt McGehee Palmer Bonanni & Rivers PC, Weitz & Luxenberg PC, Susman Godfrey LLP, Motley Rice LLC, the Law Offices of Teresa A. Bingman PLLC, Bronstein Gewirtz & Grossman LLC, the Law Offices of Deborah A. LaBelle, the NAACP, Goodman Hurwitz & James PC, Trachelle C. Young & Associates PLLC, Dedendum Group LLC, McKeen & Associates PC, the Law Office of Cirilo Martinez PLLC, Shea Aiello PLLC, Cynthia M. Lindsey & Associates PLLC, McAlpine PC and the Abood Law Firm.