The claims review process in the Flint water civil settlement is moving forward, per the most recent court filings of Deborah Greenspan, the special master appointed to oversee the administration and disbursement of settlement funds to claimants in the settlement, and the first claims notices are purportedly expected to reach claimants in April or May.
Greenspan was appointed by the federal court to supervise the implementation of the settlement agreement and is working with the claims administrators on the claims review process. The Department of the Attorney General has no formal role and is not directly involved in the claims review process. Payments to claimants cannot be made until both the claims review process has been completed and all appeals are fully resolved. At present, neither condition has been met.
Over the weekend, an appellant in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals filed a petition for en banc review of that court’s order upholding the district court’s award of attorney’s fees. No distributions from the settlement fund can occur until it is resolved and there are no further appeals.
“Our priority is to see the victims of the Flint water crisis receive their compensation as soon as is possible,” said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. “While we are not involved in the settlement pay-outs, our department is encouraged to see the process move forward and, though this most recent appeal may delay the disbursement, we look forward to the settlement being fully implemented.”
