Mother of Three Files Class Action Over Flint Water Contamination

UPDATE: November 2020, a $641 million settlement has been reached to benefit Michigan residents affected by the Flint water crisis.

On Tuesday, a Michigan mother of three filed a proposed class action lawsuit against a long list of defendants including state Governor Rick Snyder, the City of Flint, and a number of local and state agencies over the water contamination crisis that hit the Flint area.

Plaintiff Angela McIntosh filed the class action lawsuit in Detroit federal court and it joins other similar litigation seeking damages for the “devastating” effects of lead poisoning. She is hoping other city residents will join her case in the fight against those allegedly responsible for the city’s water crisis.

The lawsuit claims that the McIntosh residence water was tested for lead, and the results revealed high levels of contamination. According to the plaintiff, her children “have displayed symptoms of lead contamination” and have been displaying a range of health and emotional problems since the exposure.

“As a result of Defendants’ actions, Ms. McIntosh, her children and the putative class have suffered injuries including but not necessarily limited to: various health problems (including without limitation hair, skin, digestive and other organ problems), physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, fright and shock, disability, denial of social pleasures and enjoyments, embarrassment, humiliation, and mortification, medical expenses, wage loss, brain and/or developmental injuries including (without limitation) cognitive deficits, lost earning capacity, aggravation of pre existing conditions, contract damages and property damages (including but not limited to damaged plumbing and lost real property value),” the complaint states.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation joined the federal criminal investigation into the contamination of the Flint city water system earlier this month.

The water contamination issues were allegedly initiated in April 2014 when the city of Flint changed its water source from Lake Huron (distributed by Detroit) to a system that used water from the Flint River. State officials justified the water source move as a measure intended to save money, but residents soon began to complain about the quality of the water in color, taste and smell.

In August 2014, the water tested positive for levels of harmful bacteria, and in January 2015, the water tested high for pollutants in the water, such as refrigerants and solvents. In February, high levels of lead beyond the maximum safety limits were discovered.

A number of lawsuits have already been filed against the city of Flint, Governor Snyder and other state and local government agencies by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Natural Resources Defense Council and other concerned citizens’ groups.

According to reports released this week, residents in Flint have been paying some of the highest rates in the nation for water that has been contaminated, adding insult to injury.

McIntosh is represented by Steven D. Liddle and Nicholas A. Coulson of Liddle & Dubin PC and Ven R. Johnson and Jeffrey A. Danzig of Johnson Law PLC.

The Flint Contaminated Water Class Action Lawsuit is McIntosh v. State of Michigan et al., Case No. 2:16-cv-10571, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.