Lawyers Want 1/3 of Settlement From Flint Water Victims

The people from Flint who suffered from the water crisis, now their own lawyers want 1/3 of the settlement.

I know that lawyers are expensive and it does take money to fight the state of Michigan but trying to get over 30% of money that really should go to its victims is ridiculous.

Heck even band managers and concert promoters take less than that from their clients and they have lawyers they have to pay for as well.

According to WOOD, lawyers brought in a landmark $641.25 million for victims of Flint's lead contaminated water which is a massive win for those families who suffered in from the crisis. The lawyers involved think they should get nearly $210 million for their services.

Let's see, not one lawyer or their family were affected by the lead found in Flints water, so they should get 1/3 of the settlement? I call B.S.!

There were thousands of Flint residents that suffered and I believe the right thing to do is give them the lions share of the settlement.

Typically lawyers get 1/3 of a personal injury case but that is with an individual who is able to participate in the negotiations. The situation in Flint isn't the same and shouldn't be treated as the same.

WOOD reported that a San Francisco lawyer John O'Connor said, "this is not an outrageous request. I would expect the court would awarded somewhere between $150 million to $202 million. If it weren't for lawyers taking huge risks, the class would get nothing."

Spoken like a true lawyer but when O'Connor mentioned lawyers taking risks, what risk did they take? Really, if they are abiding by the law, no lawyer took any risk whatsoever in this case and shouldn't be awarded so.

What should happen before any payment is made to a lawyer is an audit should be done to see the rates and expenses and if the numbers match up for their cut of the settlement. If they don't a judge should be looking closer at these lawyers.

So far only state lawmaker from Flint believes the lawyers are asking for too much. Rep Cynthia Neely said, "Flint families took 100 percent of the harm. Flint families should not have a third of the settlement take from them."

The settlement is directed at children under 18 who were exposed to Flints water and will receive 80% of the settlement after the lawyers cut.