Week 2 EOC: Erin Brockovich

Steven Soderbergh's Erin Brockovich was a very interesting, and dramatic movie in my opinion. It's based on a true story, a powerful story, about a strong single mother who loves her children, and does what she needs to do to get the job done. Erin Brockovich becomes a legal assistant and with her doing most of the work, takes on a California power company who polluted a city's water supply, and she takes them down. In the end, the case was settled for $333 million dollars. When Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) settled the case for the $333 million, it "was the largest settlement ever awarded in a direct-action lawsuit in the history of the United States." (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0195685/faq#.2.1.4) Forty percent (a little over $133 million) was given to the lawyers involved in the case. Ms. Erin Brockovich was rewarded with a 2 million dollar bonus from attorney Ed Masry. Sadly, many of the victims had become seriously sick because of the contaminated water, but because of Erin Brockovich and the team, the more than 600 Hinkley plaintiffs were left with $196 million dollars to be divided between them in the end. That's approximately $300,000 to each victim. I believe that in the end everyone won; except PG&E, of course. Erin did a wonderful thing by helping the city of victim's poisoned and some severely damaged because of the irresponsibility and selfishness of a company, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Lawyers also did a great thing by helping Erin and the people win the case, and I'm sure they will always be remembered and appreciated by all of the victims who in the end got justice.