Erin Brockovich - Movie Reaction

 (Erin Brockovich)

Erin Brockovich is a movie about a woman of same name who works as a file clerk at the law office of Ed Masry. One day, while filing, Erin comes across a case against the San Francisco-based Pacific Gas & Electric Co. She begins to investigate and learns that the PG&E was letting a toxic chemical called Hexavalent Chromium 6 spread throughout the Hinkley water supply, and that this was in turn causing hundreds of residents to get cancer and other deadly diseases. Brockovich and Masry file complaints against PG&E. The judge sides with the plaintiffs and warned PG&E that they should get ready to go to trial.

Instead of going to trial the parties agreed to binding arbitration whereby the case is heard only by a judge whose decision is final and cannot be appealed. However, before going to arbitration, they should get 90% of plaintiffs’ signature. Binding arbitration is the best way to get money needed for medical expenses. Getting into a lawsuit with PG&E could be dragged out for years, and then the plaintiffs would never see their money, some of them being too sick. In the end, the case was settled for $333 million.

The arbitration only settled the case by paying the plaintiffs $333 million but not solving the real problem which is the toxic chemical spreading throughout the Hinkley water supply. The residents of Hinkley, California are still not cancer free. Because the arbitration is binding, the parties waived their rights to access the courts and to file an appeal.

 (Disclosure)

The film “Disclosure” involved a work-related sexual harassment dispute between a male employee (Tom Sanders) and his female boss (Meredith Johnson). Sanders counter-sues for sexual harassment, and the case goes to mediation. The initial mediation goes badly for Tom as Meredith turns everything around, claiming that he pursued her. Tom soon realizes he is losing the case. However, Tom acquired new evidence making the mediator favors him.