The Buffalo Creek disaster : how the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coal-mining history brought suit against the coal company -- and won
Type
Book
Authors
ISBN 10
0307388492
ISBN 13
9780307388490
DDC
345
Category
American Law
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Publication Year
2008
Publisher
Pages
xiv, 282 pages
Subject
American General Law
Tags
Abstract
"This volume describes the Buffalo Creek Flood -- and also the investigation and legal actions that followed. The Buffalo Creek Flood was a disaster that occurred in 1972 in West Virginia. An impoundment dam owned by the Pittston Coal Company burst, sending a 130 million gallon, 25 foot tidal wave of water, sludge, and debris crashing into southern West Virginia's Buffalo Creek hollow. It was one of the deadliest floods in U.S. history. 125 people were killed instantly, more than 1,000 were injured, and over 4,000 were suddenly homeless. Instead of accepting the small settlements offered by the coal company's insurance offices, a few hundred of the survivors banded together to sue. This is the story of their triumph over incredible odds and corporate irresponsibility, as told by the author -- a young lawyer and who took on the case and won." - Voila
Description
Content:
Foreword / by Bill Clinton -- Prologue -- Part One. The call for help ; "An act of God" ; "When in doubt, do the right thing" ; "Mountain Mama" ; "Take care of my baby" ; "They wasn't for sale" ; "Flagrant disregard" ; "Mere puff and blow" ; "Oyez, oyez, oyez" -- Part Two. "A more definite statement" ; "Pittston loses bid for secrecy" ; Some lawyer stories ; "What do you mean, 'dam'?" ; "It was a natural occurrence" ; "Nowhere else to put it" ; "What about existing dams?" ; "Psychic impairment" ; "Danger note" ; "Enough" -- Part Three. "Ambulance chasing" ; The statute of limitations ; A written settlement proposal ; "Flood at Lick Fork" ; "The potential for similar disasters" ; "Catch-22" ; A settlement meeting ; "Absent plaintiffs" ; "Unavailable" witnesses ; The "glaring deductible" ; "The dam was all right" ; Strategy -- Epilogue -- Afterword.
Foreword / by Bill Clinton -- Prologue -- Part One. The call for help ; "An act of God" ; "When in doubt, do the right thing" ; "Mountain Mama" ; "Take care of my baby" ; "They wasn't for sale" ; "Flagrant disregard" ; "Mere puff and blow" ; "Oyez, oyez, oyez" -- Part Two. "A more definite statement" ; "Pittston loses bid for secrecy" ; Some lawyer stories ; "What do you mean, 'dam'?" ; "It was a natural occurrence" ; "Nowhere else to put it" ; "What about existing dams?" ; "Psychic impairment" ; "Danger note" ; "Enough" -- Part Three. "Ambulance chasing" ; The statute of limitations ; A written settlement proposal ; "Flood at Lick Fork" ; "The potential for similar disasters" ; "Catch-22" ; A settlement meeting ; "Absent plaintiffs" ; "Unavailable" witnesses ; The "glaring deductible" ; "The dam was all right" ; Strategy -- Epilogue -- Afterword.
Biblio Notes
Donated by Graham Price.
"With a foreword by President Bill Clinton and a new afterword by the author" -- Cover.
First edition originally published: New York : Random House, 1976.
"With a foreword by President Bill Clinton and a new afterword by the author" -- Cover.
First edition originally published: New York : Random House, 1976.
Number of Copies
1
