Close your eyes for a few seconds and imagine sleeping in a warm bed. Suddenly, you are awaken by the sound of crashing water traveling at unimaginable speeds. You jolt out of bed towards the window only to witness a horrible sight. Water from every direction converging on you and there is little time to escape. In February of 1972 one of the most horrific disasters in West Virginia’s history was known as the “Buffalo Creek Disaster”. On a frigid Sunday morning, a dam owned by the Buffalo Mining Company (Pittston Coal Company was its sole shareholder) broke causing millions of gallons of black waste water and debris to rush into the valley below. More than 100 people were instantly dead upon impact and a little over 4,000 became homeless
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This was because he and his partners did not like the way West Virginia’s court was ran. Not only did the local courts rule in favor of the major oil companies but the Buffalo Creek Company did not have that much money to compensate the victims for any losses. They thought it would be better to sue the larger corporation instead. The state also had a limit of compensation that is given to victims. If the plaintiffs were to sue the New York based Pittston Company a federal court would be able to hear the case. This would allow for greater juror diversity, no bias, and no limit on compensation. In response, the defendants motioned to dismiss this claim. If they did not manage to get the case into federal court, Stern and his team would surely lose. Fortunately, that was not the outcome. Stern and his team also focused on “psychic impairment” and “survivor syndrome” the victims had occurred. They had hoped both the adults and children whom suffered considerable losses, could get reimbursed for any mental suffering they may have gone through. In order to prove the victims had any type of mental health problems, Stern enlisted the help of Dr. Robert Lifton, Dr. Joseph Brenno, and Dr. Robert J. Coles. The three doctors interviewed many of the survivors. Each one told horrific tales of what happened during the flood. After interviewing several people, Dr. Lifton reported
This was because he and his partners did not like the way West Virginia’s court was ran. Not only did the local courts rule in favor of the major oil companies but the Buffalo Creek Company did not have that much money to compensate the victims for any losses. They thought it would be better to sue the larger corporation instead. The state also had a limit of compensation that is given to victims. If the plaintiffs were to sue the New York based Pittston Company a federal court would be able to hear the case. This would allow for greater juror diversity, no bias, and no limit on compensation. In response, the defendants motioned to dismiss this claim. If they did not manage to get the case into federal court, Stern and his team would surely lose. Fortunately, that was not the outcome. Stern and his team also focused on “psychic impairment” and “survivor syndrome” the victims had occurred. They had hoped both the adults and children whom suffered considerable losses, could get reimbursed for any mental suffering they may have gone through. In order to prove the victims had any type of mental health problems, Stern enlisted the help of Dr. Robert Lifton, Dr. Joseph Brenno, and Dr. Robert J. Coles. The three doctors interviewed many of the survivors. Each one told horrific tales of what happened during the flood. After interviewing several people, Dr. Lifton reported