History of Erin Brockovich in Timeline
Erin Brockovich is a paralegal and environmental activist known for her pivotal role in a lawsuit against Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) in 1993. She worked alongside attorney Ed Masry to investigate and expose groundwater contamination in Hinkley, California, caused by PG&E. Their efforts led to a successful settlement for the affected residents. The case and Brockovich's involvement gained widespread attention, inspiring the film 'Erin Brockovich' (2000), which further popularized her story and advocacy work.
1923: Birth of Betty Jo O'Neal
In 1923, Betty Jo O'Neal, Erin Brockovich's mother, was born. She worked as a journalist.
1952: Construction of Hinkley Compressor Station
In 1952, the Hinkley compressor station was built as part of a natural gas pipeline, later becoming central to the PG&E contamination case.
1954: Birth of Thomas Pattee
In 1954, Thomas Pattee, one of Erin Brockovich's brothers, was born.
June 22, 1960: Erin Brockovich's Birth
On June 22, 1960, Erin Brockovich, née Pattee, was born. She later became a paralegal, consumer advocate, and environmental activist.
1966: End of Chromium 6 Use
Between 1952 and 1966, PG&E used hexavalent chromium in a cooling tower system to fight corrosion. The waste water was discharged to unlined ponds at the site.
1968: RWQCB Regulations for PG&E Site
In 1968, the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) put the PG&E site under its regulations.
1970: Lehigh Valley Railroad Derailment
In 1970, the Lehigh Valley Railroad derailment occurred, which Brockovich initially suspected as a cause for the LeRoy students' symptoms.
1988: Start of Cancer Rate Monitoring
In 1988, cancer rates in Hinkley began being monitored until 2008.
1992: Death of Thomas Pattee
In 1992, Thomas Pattee, one of Erin Brockovich's brothers, passed away.
1993: Brockovich becomes a Whistleblower
In 1993, Erin Brockovich became a whistleblower, speaking out against PG&E after discovering widespread illness in Hinkley, California, and becoming instrumental in suing the company.
1993: Involvement in PG&E Case
In 1993, Erin Brockovich was instrumental in building a case against Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) involving groundwater contamination in Hinkley, California, working for attorney Ed Masry.
1996: Purchase of Agoura Hills House
In 1996, Brockovich purchased her house in Agoura Hills, California, with her bonus from the Hinkley settlement.
1996: Settlement of PG&E Case
In 1996, the Anderson, et al. v. Pacific Gas & Electric case was settled for $333 million, which was the largest settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit in United States history to that date.
1996: Investigation of Brain Tumors
Prior to the lawsuit filed in 2009, the EPA began investigating what residents believed were a high number of brain tumors in the area since 1996.
1996: Bulldozing of Affected Area
The affected area of Hinkley had been bulldozed by 1996.
2000: Release of the "Erin Brockovich" Film
In 2000, the feature film "Erin Brockovich," starring Julia Roberts, was released, focusing on her work against Pacific Gas & Electric. Roberts won the Academy Award for Best Actress.
2001: Publication of "Take It from Me: Life's a Struggle But You Can Win"
In 2001, Erin Brockovich's first book, "Take It from Me: Life's a Struggle But You Can Win", was published.
2003: Lawsuit Against Beverly Hills Unified School District
In 2003, Brockovich and Masry filed a lawsuit against the Beverly Hills Unified School District, alleging harm to students' health and safety due to oil wells on campus.
2003: Settlement for Mold Contamination
In 2003, Erin Brockovich received settlements totaling $430,000 and an undisclosed amount from parties to settle her lawsuit alleging toxic mold in her Agoura Hills home.
2006: Settlement of Kettleman Suit
In 2006, the Kettleman suit, alleging contamination near PG&E's Kettleman Hills compressor station, was settled for $335 million.
May 2007: Summary Judgment Against Plaintiffs
In May 2007, the Los Angeles County Superior Court granted summary judgment against the plaintiffs in the Beverly Hills Unified School District case, and the school district was to be paid $450,000 for legal expenses.
2008: Death of Betty Jo O'Neal
In 2008, Betty Jo (O'Neal) Pattee, Erin Brockovich's mother, passed away. She was a journalist.
2008: End of Cancer Rate Monitoring
In 2008, cancer rates in Hinkley ended being monitored since 1988.
April 2009: Lawsuit Against Prime Tanning Corp
In April 2009, Brockovich assisted in filing a lawsuit against Prime Tanning Corp. of St. Joseph, Missouri, alleging contamination from waste sludge used as fertilizer.
June 2009: Investigation in Midland, Texas
In June 2009, Erin Brockovich began investigating a case of contaminated water in Midland, Texas, where significant amounts of hexavalent chromium were found in the water.
2010: California Cancer Registry Study
In 2010, a study released by the California Cancer Registry suggested that cancer rates in Hinkley "remained unremarkable from 1988 to 2008".
2012: Involvement in LeRoy, New York Case
In 2012, Erin Brockovich became involved in the case of 14 students from LeRoy, New York, reporting perplexing medical symptoms. The cause was later determined to be mass psychogenic illness.
2012: Appearance in "Last Call at the Oasis"
In 2012, Erin Brockovich had a more extensive role in the documentary "Last Call at the Oasis," which focused on water pollution and water scarcity in the United States.
June 2013: Critique of Epidemiological Studies
In June 2013, Mother Jones magazine featured a critique from the Center for Public Integrity of epidemiological studies, pointing out that the affected area of Hinkley had been bulldozed by 1996.
2013: Cites Lac-Megantic, Canada oil train catastrophe
In 2023, Erin Brockovich continues to cite the 2013 Lac-Megantic, Canada oil train catastrophe.
2016: Residence in Agoura Hills
As of 2016, Erin Brockovich resides in Agoura Hills, California.
2016: Involvement in Aliso Canyon Gas Leak Litigation
In early 2016, Erin Brockovich became involved in potential litigation against Southern California Gas for the Aliso Canyon gas leak.
2019: Cr-6 Levels in Hinkley Wells
As of 2019, average Cr-6 levels for water from wells in Hinkley were still peaking at 100 times California's maximum contaminant level.
August 25, 2020: Release of "Superman's Not Coming"
On August 25, 2020, Erin Brockovich's second book, "Superman's Not Coming," was released.
April 8, 2021: Premiere of Rebel TV Series
On April 8, 2021, "Rebel", a television series loosely based on Erin Brockovich's life, premiered on ABC.
2021: PG&E Claimed Cleanup
By 2021, PG&E claimed they had cleaned up 70% of the contamination.
2021: Writing on Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals
In 2021, Erin Brockovich wrote about hormone-disrupting chemicals (such as PFAS) eroding human fertility at an alarming rate.
February 8, 2022: Article on Steven Donziger Case
On February 8, 2022, Erin Brockovich wrote an article discussing the case of Steven Donziger, a lawyer involved in a legal battle with Chevron.
October 2022: Dispute over Cr-6 Carcinogenicity
In October 2022, even though the EPA announced Cr-6 was likely carcinogenic if consumed in drinking water, The American Chemistry Council disputed their finding.
2023: Involvement in East Palestine Train Derailment
In early 2023, following the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, Erin Brockovich began assisting the community and raising awareness about the toxic chemical fires and potential groundwater contamination.
