November 10, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Flint Residents Will Start to Receive Financial Relief from the $626 Million Settlement
FLINT, MI. – Interim Co-lead Class Counsel in the Flint water crisis litigation announced today that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan has granted final approval for the landmark $626 million partial settlement resulting from the class action and individual lawsuits brought on behalf of Flint residents. The ruling means that Flint residents can now begin to receive financial relief from the settlement. 80 percent of the funds will go to those who were under the age of 18 at the time of the crisis, with a large majority of that amount to be paid for claims of children aged 6 and younger. The remaining funds will go to special education services in Genesee County, adults, business owners and property owners for property damage.
“This is a historic and momentous day for the residents of Flint, who will finally begin to see justice served. None of this would have been possible without the tireless advocacy from residents, who never gave up the fight. Though we can never undo what has occurred, this settlement makes clear that those who egregiously violate the law and harm their communities will be held accountable,” Ted Leopold, court-appointed co-lead counsel and Partner at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll.
In August, the court entered an order granting Class Certification on liability claims in the ongoing litigation against private engineering firms Lockwood, Andrews & Newman (LAN) and Veolia, LLC; Veolia, Inc, and Veolia Water (VNA). Each allegedly failed to give appropriate professional advice, greatly adding to the widespread lead contamination of the water that flowed into class members homes and businesses. Separate litigation against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will also continue.
The parties to the settlement include the State of Michigan, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) all individual governmental defendants including former Governor Rick Snyder, the City of Flint, McLaren Regional Medical Center and Rowe Professional Services Co.
Claimants presenting the same profile of injuries will receive the same awards without regard to whether they are represented by an attorney or law firm. The Special Master and Plaintiffs’ lawyers will help supervise this part of the process.
About Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll
Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC is recognized as one of the premier law firms in the country handling major, complex plaintiff-side litigation. With more than 100 attorneys, Cohen Milstein has offices in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Ill., New York, N.Y., Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Philadelphia, Pa. and Raleigh, N.C.
About Pitt McGehee Palmer & Rivers
Located in Royal Oak, Pitt McGehee Palmer & Rivers PC is Michigan’s largest law firm specializing in civil rights litigation exclusively on behalf of the victims of governmental, corporate and workplace abuse Its. attorneys represent clients in a broad range of actions, including sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, whistleblower issues and discrimination based on age, gender, disability, race, religion and national origin.