A family member of mine used to take medical malpractice cases from these communities while I was growing up. She was routinely harassed and hassled by whatever (exclusively white) sheriff of whatever town was the brother-in-law of the doctor she was suing. Just driving around in these places trying to drum up support for such a suit would be a risk. They have a way of arresting you for imagined vehicular infractions right after the judges go home for the weekend, then letting you out Monday morning as soon as you're arraigned, where you can pay the bill to let out your impounded car.

If that sort of pressure can be applied to people working cases that affect just one doctor in a community like this, I sure wouldn't want to to see what kind of pressure the chemical companies could bring to bear.

These are poor communities. I know you realize how much lawyers cost.

Could a firm step in in hopes of getting a big pay day going up against the huge titans of the Chemical industry? Probably. Just hasn't happened yet, I'd say.

I assume it's a lack of resources, namely money, time, energy, and knowledge.