Erin Brockovich environmental timeline

Ed Masry gives Erin a job in his firm

Jan 13, 1993

Unemployed Erin Brockovich is given a job in the firm Masry & Vititoe.

Erin is given real-estate files at her office.

Feb 13, 1993

Being surprised, Erin starts investigating the case where Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) is offering to purchase the house of Donna and Peter Jensen, Hinkley, California.

Erin visits Donna Jensen in Hinkley, California.

Mar 13, 1993

Erin is surprised to see medical records in the files and visits Donna, who explains that she had simply kept all her PG&E correspondence together.

Erin keeps on investigating further into the PG & E's case.

Apr 13, 1993

She finds evidence that the groundwater in Hinkley is contaminated with carcinogenic hexavalent chromium, but PG&E has been telling Hinkley residents that they use a safer form of chromium.

Erin meets a toxicologist, Dr. Frankel.

May 13, 1993

The expert gave her a list of health problems that came the exposure to hexavalent chromium.

She goes to Lahontan Regional Water Board for more searching.

Jun 16, 1993

In this Water Board, there are documents and records that exlain the water of Hinkley is contaminated with hexavalent Chromium. She makes several copies of these papers.

Erin losses her job at the firm.

Jul 22, 1993

After being absent for a week, Erin is fired.

Ed Masry goes to Erin's house.

Aug 2, 1993

Ed tells her that the level of Chromium found in the tests could be responsible for the Jensen's health problems. He gives her job back again. She keeps on working in her investigation and informs Donna and other families about her discoveries.

PG&E claims department contacts and arranges a meeting with the firm.

Sep 18, 1993

The Corporation became aware about Erin's research.
Mr. Foil, the representative of the claim department, tells Ed and Erin that PG&E is a 2 billion dollar corporation.

Erin keeps on doing further research.

Oct 18, 1993

Erin visits the residents of Hinkley. There, she finds more cases of health problems. The families of the community agree to be represented by the firm where she works.

Erin gathers evidence.

Nov 20, 1993

She takes samples of contaminated water and collects a dead frog near the PG&E factory.

Ed wants to share the expenses with other firms.

Dec 7, 1993

The judge made his decision.

Jan 18, 1994

The firm and PG&E go to trial and Kurt Potter finances the expenses of the case.

Ed presents their new partner that will help on the case.

Feb 4, 1994

Kurt Potter will finance the expenses of the PG&E case.

Erin persuades all 634 plaintiffs to go along with binding arbitration.

Mar 11, 1994

Erin goes door-to-door in order to get the 634 plaintiffs signed.
DEFINITION OF 'Binding arbitration' (noun)
A judgment made by a third party to settle a dispute between two other parties, which is obligatory (both parties agree in advance to abide by the result)

Charles Embry tells Erin he was in charge of destroying important documents at PG&E

Apr 18, 1994

This PG&E ex worker noticed the medical conditions plaguing his ex mates and kept the documents instead of destroying them. He then gives the documents to her. A 1966 memo proves corporate headquarters knew the water was contaminated with hexavalent chromium, did nothing about it, and advised the Hinkley operation to keep this secret.

The result of the PG&E trial.

Jun 28, 1994

The judge orders PG&E to pay a settlement amount of $333 million dolars to be distributed among the community.
Erin goes to Dona's house to tell her the news.
Erin continues working in the firm after they won this case.