Who is Erin Brockovich? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Erin Pattee

Age: 64 Years, 64 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Eric L. Ellis (m. 1999), Shawn Brown (m. 1982–1987), Steven Brockovich (m. 1989–1990)

father: Frank Pattee

siblings: Frank Pattee Jr., Jodie Knight, Tom Pattee

children: Elizabeth Brockovich, Katie Brown, Matthew Brown

Environmental Activists American Women

Height: 5'10" (178 cm), 5'10" Females

Ideology: Environmentalists

U.S. State: Kansas

More Facts

education: Lawrence High School, Kansas State University, Wade College

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1

What is the true story behind Erin Brockovich?

Erin Brockovich is a legal clerk and environmental activist who uncovered a case of water contamination in Hinkley, California, caused by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) in the early 1990s. She helped bring a successful lawsuit against the company, which resulted in a $333 million settlement for the affected residents.
2

What impact did Erin Brockovich's case have on environmental activism?

Erin Brockovich's case brought attention to the dangers of water contamination and the importance of holding corporations accountable for their actions. It inspired others to stand up against environmental injustices and sparked a wave of activism in the environmental movement.
3

How did Erin Brockovich become involved in environmental activism?

Erin Brockovich's involvement in environmental activism began when she was hired as a legal clerk at the law firm Masry & Vititoe. She stumbled upon medical records that led her to investigate the suspicious illnesses in Hinkley, eventually uncovering the water contamination issue.
4

What is Erin Brockovich's role in advocacy and public speaking?

Erin Brockovich is known for her advocacy work on environmental issues, public health, and consumer rights. She frequently speaks at events, conferences, and universities to raise awareness about environmental hazards and empower individuals to take action against corporate negligence.
5

How did Erin Brockovich's story inspire a Hollywood movie?

Erin Brockovich's story inspired the 2000 film "Erin Brockovich," starring Julia Roberts. The movie portrayed her relentless pursuit of justice for the Hinkley residents and highlighted her determination to make a difference, ultimately bringing her story to a wider audience.

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The Pacific Gas and Electric Company Litigation Case/Hinkley Groundwater Contamination

The Pacific Gas and Electric Company litigation case was a case related to the alleged contamination of drinking water with Cr-6 or hexavalent chromium in the southern California town of Hinkley. Between 1952 and 1966, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) of California used Cr-6 in a cooling tower system to combat corrosion. In the process, the wastewater was released in unlined ponds near the site and also some percolated into the groundwater. This affected an area of approximately 2 by 1 mile (3.2 by 1.6 km) near the plant.

Brockovich built the case despite lacking formal law education; she was working as the legal clerk for the law firm Masry & Vititoe at that time. The case was settled in 1996 for $333 million and Masry & Vititoe received US$133.6 million of that settlement. Also, Brockovich got a bonus of $2.5 million. The Pacific Gas and Electric Company litigation case is popular till date as it generated the largest settlement ever paid in any direct-action lawsuit in the U.S.

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Other Litigations

While working with a lawyer named Edward L. Masry, Erin Brockovich got involved in a number of other anti-pollution cases. One case accused the Whitman Corporation of chromium contamination in the city of Willits, California. Another lawsuit alleged contamination near PG&E's compressor station in Kings County California. The latter of the cases was settled in 2006 for $335 million.

In 2003, Brockovich was granted settlements of US$430,000 from two groups along with an undisclosed amount from a third group to settle her case alleging toxic mold in her home at Agoura Hills, California. The same year, the legal clerk filed a lawsuit against Beverly Hills Unified School District and accused the district of harming safety and health of its students by allowing a party to operate a cluster of oil wells on the school campus. In 2007, the school district demanded $450,000 as reimbursement for legal expenses.

In April 2009, Brockovich filed a case against Prime Tanning Corporation located in St. Joseph, Missouri. In this case, she accused the corporation of distributing waste sludge to the farmers to use as fertilizer on their fields. This waste sludge, developed from the production of leather, contained high levels of Cr-6. That year, the American legal clerk also started her investigation on a case of polluted water in Texas

In 2012, Brockovich became involved in a mysterious case where 14 students from LeRoy, New York, reported perplexing medical symptoms such as speech difficulty and tics. Brockovich alleged that environmental contamination from the 1970 Lehigh Valley Railroad derailment was the reason behind this. She conducted investigation in the area but could not find any environmental causes even after repeated testing. Later, the students’ health improved and the case was closed.

In early 2016, she took legal action against The Southern California Gas Company for a large methane leakage from its underground storage facility.

Other Works

In 1981, she was a management trainee for Kmart. After quitting the job, she participated in a number of beauty pageants and even won the title of Miss Pacific Coast. Brockovich soon gave up participating in pageants because she found them "shallow".

Brockovich has written a book titled ‘Take It From Me: Life's a Struggle But You Can Win’ which was published in 2001. She appeared in the 2012 documentary titled ‘Last Call at the Oasis.’ This documentary not only focused on water contamination but also the overall state of water scarcity in the United States.

Personal Life

Erin Brockovich was born as Erin Pattee on June 22, 1960 in Lawrence, Kansas, the USA. Her father Frank Pattee was an industrial engineer as well as a football player while her mother, Betty Jo, served as a journalist. Brockovich was raised alongside her two brothers Frank Jr. and Thomas, and a sister Jodie. Her brother Thomas died in 1992.

She studied at Lawrence High School and later attended Kansas State University. After this, she enrolled at Wade College in Dallas, Texas and graduated from there with an Associate in Applied Arts Degree.

Coming to her love life, she married actor Shawn Brown in 1982. The couple had one son Matthew and a daughter Katie before divorcing in December 1987. In 1989, Erin Pattee went on to marry Steven Michael Brockovich, thus becoming Erin Brockovich. This marriage, though extremely short-lived, produced one daughter. Erin was married to her third husband, actor Eric L. Ellis, from 1998 to 2012.

Facts About Erin Brockovich

She worked as a legal assistant when she helped build the case against Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

Brockovich's story was turned into a Hollywood movie in 2000, with Julia Roberts portraying her in the film titled "Erin Brockovich."

Beyond her environmental activism, Erin Brockovich is also a public speaker and author, sharing her experiences and insights with audiences around the world.

Erin Brockovich's work has inspired many people to stand up for their rights and fight against environmental injustices in their communities.

Despite facing challenges and setbacks, Erin Brockovich remains a passionate advocate for social and environmental causes, continuing to make a positive impact through her work.

Erin Brockovich Biography

You wanted to know

What is the true story behind Erin Brockovich?

What impact did Erin Brockovich's case have on environmental activism?

How did Erin Brockovich become involved in environmental activism?

What is Erin Brockovich's role in advocacy and public speaking?

How did Erin Brockovich's story inspire a Hollywood movie?