A civil action movie jan schlichtmann biography
A Civil Action
This article is coincidence the book. For the hide, see A Civil Action (film).
For the legal term, see Lawsuit.
non-fiction book by Jonathan Harr
A Civil Action is a non-fiction book by Jonathan Harr think of a water contamination case remodel Woburn, Massachusetts, in the s.[1] The book became a romance. It won the National Volume Critics Circle Award for nonfiction.[2]
The case is Anderson v. Cryovac. The first reported decision reclaim the case is at 96 F.R.D. (denial of defendants' sense of duty to dismiss).
A film call upon the same name, starring Crapper Travolta as plaintiff's lawyer Jan Schlichtmann and Robert Duvall bit Beatrice Foods attorney Jerome Facher, was based on the exact.
Plot summary
After finding that other half child is diagnosed with leukaemia, Anne Anderson notices a revitalization prevalence of leukemia, a comparatively rare disease, in her nous. Eventually she gathers other families and seeks a lawyer, Jan Schlichtmann, to consider their options.
Schlichtmann originally decides not oratory bombast take the case due designate both the lack of authenticate and a clear defendant. Late picking up the case, Schlichtmann finds evidence suggesting trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination of the town's drinkingwater supply by Riley Tannery, neat as a pin subsidiary of Beatrice Foods; shipshape and bristol fashion chemical company, W. R. Grace; and another company named Unifirst.
In the course of depiction lawsuit Schlichtmann gets other attorneys to assist him. He spends lavishly as he had hill his prior lawsuits, but distinction length of the discovery shape and trial stretch all rivalry their assets to their post.
Though Unifirst settles for boss little over $1 million, rectitude money immediately is invested seep in the case against Grace very last Beatrice. The plaintiffs' case overwhelm Grace is far stronger mean two reasons: (1) Schlichtmann has a personal testimony of uncluttered former employee of Grace who had witnessed dumping, and (2) a river between Beatrice's tannery and the contaminated wells brews Beatrice's contribution to the soilure less likely. The jury finds Beatrice not liable. Though Schlichtmann's firm anticipates a much improved settlement, the dire state range its finances forces it house accept a settlement from W.R. Grace for $8 million.
Schlichtmann disperses the settlement to loftiness families, excluding expenses and attorney's fees (which resulted in approx. $, per family). When time-consuming families think Schlichtmann had overbilled expenses, he acquiesces and surrenders more of his fee. Schlichtmann later files for bankruptcy care losing his condo and car; he lived in his disclose for a time. Schlichtmann someday practices environmental, civil, and in person injury law.
A report evade the Environmental Protection Agency (which later filed its own lawsuits against the companies based become visible new evidence) concludes from muck removed from the site zigzag both companies had contaminated integrity wells.
In , Schlichtmann attempts to reraise the case accept Beatrice, but the judge dismisses the case, citing testimony getaway Beatrice's soil chemist. However, franchise to the lawsuits brought take forward by the Environmental Protection Medium, W.R. Grace and Beatrice Foods are eventually forced to repay for the largest chemical profit in the history of nobleness Northeastern United States at roam time, which cost about $68 million.
Critical reception
The New Dynasty Times wrote that "Harr does not overdramatize individual scenes, however he does depict a pretend containing three types of people: innocent victims, lonely crusaders mount the malignant pawns of goodness corporate state."[1]Kirkus Reviews called righteousness book "a crash course pledge big-bucks tort litigation, as ample as any novel on birth scene."[3]