Litigation

Erin Brockovich testifies in favor of increasing her income

By Carter Wood

Reuters, Tuesday, March 28, "Erin Brockovich pushes for disease cluster law":

(Reuters) - Erin Brockovich, a U.S. consumer health advocate whose life story was the basis for an Academy Award-winning film, urged senators Tuesday to pass a law to document disease clusters in the United States.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) called the hearing Tuesday by the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee, entitled, "Oversight Hearing on Disease Clusters and Environmental Health."

In news coverage, Brockovich was identified as "environmental whistleblower" (Cleveland Plain Dealer), " high wattage environmental advocate" (Raleigh News and Observer) and "consumer advocate" (Northwest Arkansas Newspapers). The Detroit News essayed a  "paralegal-cum-activist."

Reporters might have informed their readers by noting Brockovich's obvious self-interest. She runs Brockovich Research & Consulting, a PR front and source of referrals for assorted trial lawyer operations. As the LAObserved.com website reported in March, 2010, "Where's Erin Brockovich?"

She advises people who believe they've been hurt by contamination by getting them connected with public agencies and lawyers, who pay her, says the cover story in this week's L.A. Business Journal.

She also has popped up on TV commercials lately. That's because she works as a consultant for New York personal injury and mass tort firm Weitz & Luxenberg, partly as a spokeswoman. She has a similar role with an Australian personal injury firm named Shine Lawyers. She also works with, but has not worked as a spokeswoman for, downtown L.A. plaintiffs' firm Girardi & Keese.

The more you can generate public panic and anecdote-based health complaints, the greater the potential for litigation, the greater potential for Brockovich making big bunches of money.

Full post as published by Point of Law on March 30, 2011 (boomark / email).