A new federal court filing says people waiting to receive a portion of the Flint water settlement may learn what they could get by late this summer or early fall.
More than a decade ago, Flint’s drinking water source was switched to the Flint River to save money. But the river water was not properly treated, releasing lead and other contaminants into the city’s tap water. Flint’s drinking water source was switched back to Detroit’s water system 18 months later.
In 2020, the state of Michigan agreed to a $600 million pool to settle claims tied to Flint’s water crisis. The settlement pool grew as the city of Flint and businesses chipped in tens of millions more to settle claims against them
The claims process has been moving slowly since 2022.
In a federal court filing this week, Special Master Deborah Greenspan, who manages the settlement process, wrote “All claims have now been through initial review and most claims are now finalized. We are in the final stages of the claims process.”
“We instituted a property review process so that claimants would not have to submit proof of ownership," Greenspan said in the filing.
"We have obtained millions of records and documents to assist claimants with their claims – including birth certificates, school enrollment records, blood testing records, service line records, water customer billing records, property ownership records, and legal guardianship records. We also established a streamlined process to address claims filed by representatives of deceased individuals.”
However, there are still some appeals of claims being reviewed. There are also approximately 1,200 claims that don’t include Social Security numbers. Those claims can’t be paid without them.
Greenspan said 28,720 claims are eligible for a share of the settlement — about half of the number submitted
Of the settlement’s 30 categories, 21 will award damages to those who were minor children during the time of the Flint water crisis. The level of the payout depends on the children’s documented blood lead levels, bone lead levels, and exposure at residences with lead or galvanized service lines.
Six categories compensate adults for lead-related health issues, including serious injuries, miscarriages, Legionnaires' disease, as well as those who paid water bills.
The three remaining categories address property damage and business losses tied to the water crisis.
