A Civil Action

Something is very much amiss in eastern Woburn - a small community in Massachusetts. The tap water tastes strange, like chemicals. Pipes corrode far too quickly, inhabitants suffer from burning eyes and skin problems. But worst of all - children are dying slowly and painfully of leukemia.

This rare disease has cropped up in several cases just doors away from one another. The families are ruined by medical bills and torn apart by grief. One such stricken mother begins a lonely crusade against the city and ultimately against two corporations to hold someone accountable for the suffering and death of her child.

But Woburn is a case no one wanted - expensive to put together and moreso to try. Without settled medical proof of the cuases of show more leukemia, it's a risky case too. A risky case, but with the possibility of a massive payout and important policy implications, which is just the kind of case Jan Schlichtmann thrives on. Schlichtmann's handling of the case with his brinksmanship, bravado, and relative inexperience, is the real focus of this non-fiction work.

Nonfiction generally isn't my cup of tea, but this was an exception. Written much like a thriller - with insight into the very human drama involved in the case - and as such rarely dry or boring, the author makes the story accessible without bogging it down with legalese or the finer geological points. He illuminates the workings of a trial, the greed and the injustices the system produces, and the emotions at stake, not just for the clients, but for the lawyers who invest so much of themselves in their cases.

Fascinating but devastating look at the justice system and how, in the end, no one gets what they want, and nothing is truly resolved. show less

This is an involving story that is as gripping as a novel but it is more real, and insidious in that the tale of the inhabitants of this unfortunate town fell victim to corporate greed and irresponsibility. A civil action is an uncivil attempt by a corporation to hide and downplay the negative effects of polluting an average town in New England. The lesson to be drawn from this unfortunate episode is to grasp that it could happen to anyone, anywhere, if citizens are not vigilant about their rights and protect themselves.

I read this while camping on an island in Maine, and I could hardly tear myself away to look at the view! One of the most well-done non-fiction books I've read: written like a thriller, but so carefully researched that know you're not reading made-up conversations or imputed thoughts and feelings. Perfect pace; fascinating characters.

This is the tragic true story about a group of Woburn, Massachusetts citizens and the lawsuit they filed against two major companies for dumping what they believed to be cancer-inducing chemicals into their drinking water. Instantly, I thought of 10,000 Maniacs and their song, "Poison in the Well." It's eerily similar. Residents know the water "tastes funny" and during certain times of the year they avoid consumption of it all together. Some go so far as to complain, but they are told the levels of toxins are negligible and nothing to worry about. It's only after Anne Anderson's child develops leukemia, and Anderson starts to notice multiple cases of the rare disease in her hometown, that she decides to hire an attorney, Jan show more Schlichmann. The rest that follows is a brutal court battle. There are times you think it's an open and shut case and other times when it's no so obvious. The depositions and testimonies leave you wanting to pull your hair out. Every single detail is covered in Harr's story. show less

The summary may sound interesting but trust me, unless you are a hardcore law fan or a law student, you will not enjoy this book. It documented the court case of two corporations who were accused of the dead of several children through contamination of the water. I recall the ending was so infuriating. The court case had become so confusingly obscure that the jury had trouble discerning the question asked of them. It was not a guilty/not guilty question, it was a question that asked the jury to provide a date and other such information. The jury made a mistake because of their understandable lack of knowledge of such a complicated civil case and the corporations got off free.

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/14417491

Wow. A page-turner. Packed with detail, the book follows a case from the first suggestion of wrong-doing, through various lawyers and into the hands of young, passionate lawyer Jan Schlichtmann, and all the way to the end.

In the Massachusetts town of Woburn Anne Anderson is faced with a diagnosis of a rare type of Leukemia in her three-year-old son. It is 1972. When she learns of other cases near her, and somebody mentions the water, she wonders. Could the foul-tasting, odorous water from her tap have anything to do with her son's illness? And thus it begins.

It's a bumpy road. As no specific cause for leukemia had been found, Anne faces skepticism or show more disinterest when she approaches the subject with her son's doctor. "When you buy a car of a certain make you start to see that type car everywhere," is his thought. The concept of "leukemia clusters" was generally not accepted by the medical community any more, and even the country's so-called cluster expert was skeptical.

Until two city wells, those feeding the neighborhood containing the "cluster", are found to contain toxic substances. Then Anne is even more interested. But it is no simple matter to find out where those substances came from.

When the case, such as it was, came to the desk of Jan Schlichtmann, there was no proof that the contamination came from nearby industrial businesses. Finding some kind of proof or overwhelming evidence was necessary. Like others before him, Schlichtmann was initially interested but then found other cases more productive. This one looked like a dark hole, a money pit at the least.

Schlichtmann is at the heart of the story. He has a large personality and a tendency to spend. He has made big money and lost it. Although fond of expensive things, especially his beautiful suits, he is not wedded to them. His passion for righting wrongs overwhelms his desire for material excess.

So ultimately we have a classic case of a young, ambitious lawyer up against the best legal teams to be had by big corporations. Schlichtmann is not alone but he leads the team and sets the tone. As he takes on larger and larger expenses, draining his firm's resources, gathering evidence bit by bit, we can hope for a Grisham-like ending. I know I did. show less

Excellent book, gripping at times. I myself am a lawyer. At the risk of this being a spoiler, taking a big case that looks appealing but has a long run-up to generating money is a major risk in the profession. Taking a matter that promises to be prominent and/or lucrative has major risks. The outlay for the case can be huge. Workers, taxing authorities and suppliers are not notably patient. What happened to Schlichtmann was needless.

There are two things I wonder: 1) Why did Schlictmann let his "lead counsel" out so easily; and 2) why the environmental movement did not help.

The "devils advocate" question for me is whether the people with Woburn are better off with their legal victory, and the polluting plants shuttered. That question show more makes me wonder. show less