Flint water crisis trial will test contractors’ liability
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Jury selection starts Tuesday in a trial to determine if engineering contractors bear responsibility for lead-contaminated water in Flint.
Veolia North America and Lockwood, Andrews & Newman, known as LAN, were not part of the recent $626 million settlement between Flint residents and the state of Michigan, Flint and two other parties.
Attorneys for four Flint children claim Veolia and LAN were negligent in not doing more to get the city to properly treat water that was being pulled from the Flint River in 2014-15. Corrosive water caused lead to leach from service lines serving homes, a disastrous result in the majority Black community.
Veolia and LAN deny liability. Veolia said it had a brief contract with Flint, mostly to address other water issues at the city’s treatment plant. LAN, too, said water quality was not part of its assignment at the plant.
“The problems in Flint were not caused by the alleged failures of outside engineers,” attorneys said last week in a court filing. “They were instead entirely caused by the epic failure of the local and state and federal government at every level.”
Nonetheless, U.S. District Judge Judith Levy declined to dismiss the lawsuit. The trial could last weeks in federal court in Ann Arbor.
Michigan is paying $600 million of the settlement with Flint residents who said they were harmed by lead-contaminated water. After legal fees are subtracted, more than $400 million is expected to go to people and property owners who file claims.
There is no safe level of lead. It can harm a child’s brain development and cause attention and behavior problems.
‘Trade Secrets’ examined by attorney for MIPLA program
The Michigan Intellectual Property Law Association (MIPLA) will host a virtual luncheon meeting on Tuesday, February 15, from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. via Zoom. Speaking on “Trade Secrets” will be John Krieger of Dickinson Wright (Las Vegas).
Krieger is a member in Dickinson Wright’s Intellectual Property and Entertainment & Sports Departments. He concentrates his practice on intellectual property litigation in both state and federal court; prosecuting and defending clients for claims including trademark infringement, copyright infringement, patent infringement, domain name, and anti-counterfeiting litigation; as well as trade secret misappropriation and unfair competition.
The meeting agenda includes:
• 11:45 a.m. to noon—Networking
• Noon to 1 p.m.—Presentation
For additional information or to register for the lunch, visit http://mipla.org and click on “events.”
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