Courts of law in America have one major flaw. The pursuit of truth is overshadowed by the pursuit of money. In A Civil Action, Jan Schlichtmann greatest impacts the resolution of the environmental issue by prioritizing justice over money. Towards the beginning of the movie, Schlichtmann is shown in a silent settlement discussion with another lawyer. His client is visibly severely paralyzed. Schlichtmann doesn’t even seem to consider any offer below what he believes to be just and fair to his client, whose life has essentially been ruined, regardless of each “final” amount. He finally settles for $2 million. Schlichtmann could have easily declined and proceeded with the trial to earn more money for himself, but he decided to only take the justified amount for his …show more content…
He answers the claim that personal-injury attorneys are just “ambulance chasers” who feed on the misfortune of others by inquiring “then why do I lay awake at night thinking about my clients?”. This goes far enough to demonstrate the good nature that drives his career in law. This habit of personal bond is what pushes him to continue fighting for Anne Anderson and the people of her town, even after the case is done and over. The case likely would not have even been appealed had it not been for Schlichtmann’s determined attitude. Finally, Jan Schlichtmann’s willingness to lose everything for justice was the greatest factor in the fight to clean up Woburn. The audience watched him throw all of his money and assets into the case, along with that of his partners at the firm. He lost his money, his partners, and basically everything of value that he had in the name of protecting the town that he hardly knew. The one thing he did know for sure was that those eight children would not die in vain. Towards the end of the movie, Schlichtmann was the only person left holding out hope for the case, and that hope paid