Managerial Ethics: Erin Brockovich
Unit 3 Team B Discussion
Page 1
Unit 3 – Team B
Discussion Assignment
Managerial Ethics – MAN 5066
Page 2
Introduction
This movie is based on a true story…an incident involving a massive cover-up by a conglomerate, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). Masry & Vititoe is a law firm in California representing seriously injured victims of negligence and corporate injustice and Erin Brockovich is one of their employees. They have a reputation as a leader in Environmental Tort cases, which a major part of their focus, but they also represent clients with Catastrophic Personal Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, Product Liability and other types of Class Action matters throughout the country.
While doing her clerical duties, Erin Brockovich …show more content…
Ed Masry and the other attorneys received $133 million (40%) of the settlement, The Hinkley Plaintiffs received 196 million dollars to be divided amongst the victims. Although they did a huge amount of work and invested an extreme amount of time, the team feels that the attorneys’ compensation should be much less. We feel it should be reduced to 25% or $83 million. More should have been given to the residents for their medical expenses, which consisted of everything from uterine and breast cancer to birth defects, nosebleeds, rashes, immune disorders and miscarriages. Although some of the Plaintiffs were not satisfied with their portion of the settlement, it was not distributed as equal amounts. Some of the victims only received $60,000 and $80,000. However, some of the victims only had mild effects while others suffer with life-threatening and debilitating illnesses. Not to minimize the effects of a miscarriage or nosebleed, but compared to terminal cancer, there is a huge difference in the long- term expenses and the outcome. Summary of results The attorneys received $133 million (40%) of the settlement Erin Brockovich received a $2 million bonus. PG&E required to clean up the environment PG&E required to stop using chromium …show more content…
The residents were being harmed and were unaware while there was knowledge of this toxic pollutant by others (PG & E) and yet nothing was being done. Yes, the company continued to benefit from their processes while people in this residence were getting sick with respiratory problems that could possibly be linked to this pollutant (chromium 6). Not only were the residents being harmed, but there was harm to the environment. The evidence was revealed through much investigative work by the legal team and news sources. Just a few to mention: 1)In 1987 the company advised the State of California of the detection of Chromium 6 levels in ground water when a routine environment survey was done, but yet the company failed to identify the dangerous type of chromium when communicating to the residents about the findings. Also, on a different side of this revelation, according to the plaintiffs trail brief, the contamination was known as early as
Page 1
Unit 3 – Team B
Discussion Assignment
Managerial Ethics – MAN 5066
Page 2
Introduction
This movie is based on a true story…an incident involving a massive cover-up by a conglomerate, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). Masry & Vititoe is a law firm in California representing seriously injured victims of negligence and corporate injustice and Erin Brockovich is one of their employees. They have a reputation as a leader in Environmental Tort cases, which a major part of their focus, but they also represent clients with Catastrophic Personal Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, Product Liability and other types of Class Action matters throughout the country.
While doing her clerical duties, Erin Brockovich …show more content…
Ed Masry and the other attorneys received $133 million (40%) of the settlement, The Hinkley Plaintiffs received 196 million dollars to be divided amongst the victims. Although they did a huge amount of work and invested an extreme amount of time, the team feels that the attorneys’ compensation should be much less. We feel it should be reduced to 25% or $83 million. More should have been given to the residents for their medical expenses, which consisted of everything from uterine and breast cancer to birth defects, nosebleeds, rashes, immune disorders and miscarriages. Although some of the Plaintiffs were not satisfied with their portion of the settlement, it was not distributed as equal amounts. Some of the victims only received $60,000 and $80,000. However, some of the victims only had mild effects while others suffer with life-threatening and debilitating illnesses. Not to minimize the effects of a miscarriage or nosebleed, but compared to terminal cancer, there is a huge difference in the long- term expenses and the outcome. Summary of results The attorneys received $133 million (40%) of the settlement Erin Brockovich received a $2 million bonus. PG&E required to clean up the environment PG&E required to stop using chromium …show more content…
The residents were being harmed and were unaware while there was knowledge of this toxic pollutant by others (PG & E) and yet nothing was being done. Yes, the company continued to benefit from their processes while people in this residence were getting sick with respiratory problems that could possibly be linked to this pollutant (chromium 6). Not only were the residents being harmed, but there was harm to the environment. The evidence was revealed through much investigative work by the legal team and news sources. Just a few to mention: 1)In 1987 the company advised the State of California of the detection of Chromium 6 levels in ground water when a routine environment survey was done, but yet the company failed to identify the dangerous type of chromium when communicating to the residents about the findings. Also, on a different side of this revelation, according to the plaintiffs trail brief, the contamination was known as early as