Questions about A Civil Action?

[newyddilyn60]

I missed class the day we watched the movie and need to answer the following questions about the movie A Civil Action (with John Travolta):

Who is the plaintiff?
Who are the defendants?
Why is a lawsuit being pursued by the plaintiffs?
What does the plaintiff really want from the lawsuit?
What is the settlement agreed upon by the defendant and with whom?
Why does the continuing case, against the remaining defendants, become stronger?
What is the settlement with the remaining defendants?
Which agency concluded that both companies contaminated the wells (after the settlement)?
What was the name of the chemical involved?

Thank you so much to anyone who helps!

[fenwick]

1. Anne Anderson and other families http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anderson_v._Cryovac
2. Riley Tannery, a subsidiary of Beatrice Foods; a chemical company, W.R. Grace; and another company named Unifirst.
3. She wanted an apology, a confession of guilt.
4. Jan Schlichtmann finds evidence suggesting trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination of the town's water supply by Riley Tannery, a subsidiary of Beatrice Foods; a chemical company, W.R. Grace; and another company named Unifirst. Many of the residents were and are sick, especially with leukemia and other cancers.
5. Though Unifirst settles for a little over $1 million, the money immediately is invested in the remaining case against Grace and Beatrice.
6. The plaintiffs' case against Grace was far stronger for two reasons: (1) Schlichtmann had personal testimony of a former employee of Grace who had witnessed dumping, and (2) a river between Beatrice's tannery and the contaminated wells made their contribution to the contamination less plausible. The case against Beatrice was dismissed by Judge Skinner. 7. Though Schlichtmann's firm had anticipated a much higher settlement, the dire state of their finances forced the firm to accept settlement from W.R. Grace for $8 million.
8. The EPA -- A report from the Environmental Protection Agency (based on new evidence) later concluded that both companies had contaminated the wells from the sludge that had been removed from the site
9. trichloroethylene (TCE)