Name: Delya Blair

Student ID: 816027253

Course code: MGMT 3095
Course title: Professional Ethics 
Assignment title: Case Analysis 
 
 Movie: Erin Brockovich

The film is based on an actual event. In the movie Erin Brockovich, a jobless single mother

of three begs her attorney to hire her at his legal practice as compensation for her loss and the

fact that she needs employment after losing a personal injury case. She comes upon some

medical records while sorting through some real estate documents. After doing more

research, she discovers that the corporation in question, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), hid

the fact that it had poisoned a community's water supply, which was harming the locals'

health. She informs her supervisor, Ed Masry, of the situation and begs him to use his legal

knowledge to take on the matter. One of the largest class action cases against a multibillion-

dollar organization in American history, they were ultimately able to construct a case against

PG&E and successfully lay the foundation for the company to pay legal damages to those

impacted. 

Main Character

Erin Brockovich

The star of the film Erin Brockovich is Erin Brockovich. She joins the Pacific Gas and

Electric (PG&E) lawsuit after being hired as a file clerk by a law firm. She is a strong-willed

and determined woman.

Erin is introduced as a struggling single mother who can't keep a job and has a fairly

pessimistic attitude on life at the beginning of the film. Nonetheless, she experiences

substantial moral and personal growth as she gets more deeply involved in the PG&E case.

With her quick wit and cutting tongue, Erin comes across as a person who exudes confidence

and charisma. She is not scared to express her opinions and is prepared to take chances to
accomplish her objectives. Also, Erin has a great deal of empathy for the impacted residents

and sympathy for their pain. Erin exhibits a keen sense of personal accountability and a

dedication to justice throughout the entire film. To guarantee that the truth about PG&E's

malfeasance is revealed and that the impacted individuals collect the compensation they are

due, she is prepared to take whatever necessary action. Erin's tenacity and dedication

ultimately result in a favorable ending for the people and elevate her to the status of a

figurehead and inspiration for others battling injustice. Erin is a rich and dynamic heroine

who develops significantly both personally and morally throughout the course of the book.

Protagonists

The protagonist in the movie Erin Brockovich is Erin Brockovich herself. She was a real-life

legal assistant and environmental activist who contributed to a well-known case filed in the

1990s against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). Her hardships and victories are

shown in the 2000 film, which follows her as she looks into the contaminated drinking water

in a small California town and pursues justice for the victims.

Antagonist

The Pacific Gas and Electric Corporation (PG&E), which is in charge of poisoning the

groundwater in the small Californian town of Hinkley, serves as the antagonist in the film

Erin Brockovich. Erin Brockovich and her legal team eventually uncover the truth and make

PG&E responsible for their conduct after the business initially tries to hide the contamination

and denies any responsibility. The main antagonist is ultimately PG&E, despite the fact that
there are specific personnel who work there that obstruct Erin's attempts, such as the

company's lawyer Ed Masry who first disregarded her findings.

Integral moral goodness framework

The core components of the moral goodness framework are the principles, virtues, ethical

decision-making, and the principle of double effect. Both Erin Brockovich and the victims in

Hinkley had personal experiences that changed their lives; as a result, all of them were

viewed as protagonists in the film, with the PG & E corporation serving as their antagonist

due to the disruption that their dishonesty made to people's lives. 

Principles

The movie made clear the importance of human dignity and autonomy. Erin took it upon

herself to personally demonstrate the respect and value for each person's freedom as well as

their right not to be taken advantage of and treated in a way that diminishes their rights as

human beings, through access to clean water, air to breathe, and a safe environment to raise

their families in. Erin did this concerning decency, which is at the heart of human dignity and

autonomy. initially, Erin begins to question the paperwork when she receives word from her

boss and notices that some of the documents are suspicious. She wonders why certain

documents are needed for something when it is not necessary for the matter. Afterward, in an

effort to learn more about the situation, Erin contacts the family and starts asking them

questions. Erin learns throughout her investigation that the entire town's water supply is

tainted and is sickening families severely. She then informs her supervisor, who intervenes to

support the opposition to Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). Erin makes judgments and takes

action based on moral commitments, regardless of the results, by speaking out for what is

right, even if it means her adversary PG &E continuously threatens to harm her family to

convince her to quit her investigation. Also, Erin exhibits autonomy in her private life. She

rejects meeting cultural standards for what behavior and attire are appropriate for women.

She does not allow others to define who she is or what she chooses since she is unabashedly
herself. She also manages her relationships, speaks her mind, and sets boundaries without

fear. In conclusion, she did not let their threats deter her; she continued to hold her head up,

exercised leadership and took the required actions to aid the impacted individuals. 

Justice

When people are treated fairly, with respect, and given the chance to be equal without

discrimination, justice is upheld. Erin, a strong-willed and motivated legal assistant who

becomes the motivation for the lawsuit against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company, serves

as the protagonist of the pursuit of justice in the movie (PG&E). Despite facing numerous

barriers, including the unwillingness of the court system and the stronghold of a multimillion

corporation, Erin continued her fight for Justice. The idea of justice is presented in many

ways throughout the movie. Erin and her team's efforts to hold PG&E responsible for their

deeds demonstrate justice in the legal system. The personal accounts of the contamination

victims, who have endured diseases and hardship as a result of PG&E's irresponsibility, also

reflect justice. As Erin and the firm work to uphold the moral side of justice in the face of

resistance and skepticism, the movie also emphasizes the moral aspect of justice. They persist

in their quest for justice and did not let the challenges they encounter stop them. The pursuit

of justice in the movie is inevitably revealed to be a team effort that includes not only Erin

and the firm but also the contaminated victims and the larger community. Justice is served as

PG&E is held accountable and the victims are given financial compensation for their

suffering thanks to their combined efforts. 

Beneficence
According to the ethical concept of beneficence, people, and organizations must act in ways

that advance the interests and well-being of others. This idea, which has a strong connotation

of doing good to others including moral obligation, entails taking constructive actions to help

others and prevent harm. It is closely related to the idea of compassion. All professionals

share the core moral obligation of acting morally. The idea of beneficence is crucial to the

plot from beginning to end of the film. Erin is inspired to take action to assist the victims of

this pollution after learning about the harmful pollution in a small town's water source. PG&E

was planning to buy Donna Jensen's home, one of Hinkley's residents, when Erin Brockovich

first made her discovery. She decided to look into it and meet with Mrs. Jensen after finding

some medical records in real estate files. Donna remarked that she was merely attempting to

keep all of her correspondence with the company organized and thanked PG&E for providing

a doctor and funding their medical expenses for her family's recurrent illnesses and

medications. At this point, Erin thought it odd that a gas company would voluntarily pay for

someone's medical expenses. After Erin left Mrs. Jensen's house, she worked incredibly hard

to gather information, and water samples, she eventually discovered the high-quality report

that incriminates the gas company of having hidden agendas. She furthered her investigation

on the actual chromium utilized in the report. Using that knowledge, she was able to realize

that PG&E was intentionally contaminating the community of (Hinkley) water supply with its

waste and taking great measures to hide its conduct. Erin and her boss, Ed Masry, informed

the locals that PG&E had lied about the form of chromium present in the water after testing

it. The residents were aware that their water supply contained chromium-3, which is not

harmful, but that the substance that was present was hexavalent chromium, also known as

chromium-6, which is extremely hazardous for humans to consume. PG&E decided to

dispose of their chemicals in this manner despite being aware of the problem and
disregarding how dangerous and serious the situation was for both humans and animals since

it was more expensive to do so than to dispose of it ethically. Because of this, they decided to

try to hide their activities by buying some residents' homes, paying their medical bills, and

hiring doctors who would not uphold their moral duties to their patients but would instead lie

to them in exchange for payment. In the film, Erin illustrates her dedication to the principle of

beneficence through her deeds. She acknowledges the pain done to the town's residents and

acts in a way that lessens that harm. Despite losing her career due to her zeal for doing what

was right, she is driven by a strong feeling of sympathy for the pollution victims and works

relentlessly to ensure that they receive the justice and recompense they are due. Erin

exemplifies the virtue of beneficence in her personal life in addition to her efforts on behalf

of the town's citizens. She is a loving mother who constantly prioritizes her children's needs

and does everything in her ability to care for them. In essence, Erin’s character revolves

around the principle of beneficence. Her strong desire to improve the lives of those around

her and motivation from this desire shows in all of her actions. 

To conclude, with every aspect of the Erin’s life, integrity was fulfilled and maintained with

the issues she was faced with.

Virtues

The necessity of acquiring moral qualities like honesty, compassion, and courage and using

them to inform ethical judgments is emphasized by virtue ethics. The protagonist of the film

Erin Brockovich exhibits a variety of virtues throughout the narrative. Making cautious and

sensible decisions after carefully analyzing the situation's facts and conditions is a sign of

prudence. Erin showed good judgment when she decided to sue PG&E, the company that
caused the harmful pollution in the small community. Erin performs in-depth research and

accumulates data to back up her claims before taking any action. She also consults with legal

professionals, gets information from a chemistry professor at the nearby university, and

carefully weighs the advantages and disadvantages of her probable course of action. Erin's

prudent judgment can also be seen in her choice to put the needs of the town's citizens above

her own. Erin worked tirelessly to fight for the town's residents' rights and make sure they got

the compensation and justice they deserved, yet have her financial problems. She sacrificed

valuable time with her children and her romantic relationship to prioritize the needs of the

town's residents. In her interactions with others, Erin had to display continuous prudence.

Erin experienced considerable criticism and antagonism from individuals due to the over-

sexualization of her body and the way she dresses, but she maintains her composure, staying

out of unneeded fights and concentrating on finding workable solutions to the issues at hand.

Subsequently, Erin serves as an excellent example of the value of carefully weighing the facts

and circumstances of a situation before acting, putting others' needs before one's own, and

dealing with people sensibly and practically. 

The capacity to endure challenges and persist in the face of adversity is the quality of

fortitude. The lead character Erin gives numerous displays of tenacity throughout the movie

Erin Brockovich. Erin demonstrated her tenacity by continuing to fight for justice for the

citizens of the tiny town of Hinkley in the face of tremendous opposition and losses. Erin is

subjected to intimidation, threats, and antagonism from influential people and organizations,

but she hasn't wavered in her dedication to her goal. Her readiness to risk her safety to obtain

information and further her cause. As she seeks to learn the truth about the contamination of

the town's water supply, Erin must take bodily risks and make sacrifices of her own, but she

is unfazed in her quest for justice. She demonstrated her commitment by physically
infiltrating PG&E property to obtain water samples for testing, nearly getting caught and

incarcerated in the process. Erin wouldn't hesitate to do everything to achieve justice.

Because she wanted to take chances and face obstacles in the name of what she thought was

right, this is also where her courage was on display. Even in how she deals with other people.

Erin stays steadfast, reassuring, and determined in the presence of some victims' animosity

and resistance, refusing to let her purpose be derailed. Erin Brockovich is a compelling

illustration of how the virtues of fortitude and courage may direct moral decision-making and

produce favorable results. Erin's character serves as an example of the value of overcoming

obstacles and enduring hardship, will she shows how one person's willpower can result in

huge change for everyone. 

To conclude, protagonist Erin displayed virtue effectively and so did antagonists.

Ethical decision-making

Erin Brockovich illustrates the intricate process of debating morally contentious issues and

deciding on the best course of action, making it a powerful illustration of ethical decision-

making. Erin struggles with moral issues throughout the film and is forced to make morally

challenging choices to seek justice for the people of the little community. The obligation to

seek the truth and punish those accountable for the pollution despite strong opposition and

personal risk is one of the most important ethical dilemmas Erin faces. Erin makes decisions

based on a variety of moral precepts and virtues, such as honesty, bravery, prudence, and

beneficence. She compiles evidence and does in-depth research to support her position,

ensuring consults with community members and legal professionals, to ensure the accuracy,

sensibility, and practicality of her convictions. Additionally, the film poses more general

ethical issues regarding corporate accountability, environmental justice, and people's ability
to affect social change. It draws attention to the ways that strong institutions can take

advantage of and injure weaker communities and emphasizes the significance of people

taking action to hold those institutions responsible and fight for the rights of marginalized

communities. 

A moral object, as used in ethics, is an action or entity that is being assessed for its moral

nature or quality. The town's water supply being contaminated and the suffering it causes to

the locals serve as the moral object of the movie Erin Brockovich. The movie demonstrates

how pollution is a blatantly immoral act because it adversely compromises the citizens' health

and happiness. Many health disorders, including cancer, respiratory problems, and skin

ailments, have been linked to contaminated water. Additionally, the film emphasizes PG&E's

moral obligation because it puts profits ahead of the community's health and safety. Erin's

personality and deeds are used throughout the narrative to emphasize the moral gravity of the

pollution and its effects on the neighborhood. As a moral agent seeking to bring justice to the

neighborhood, she works relentlessly to elucidate the facts surrounding the pollution and hold

those liable. 

The underlying causes, motives, or objectives of a person's activities are referred to as

subjective intention. Erin Brockovich portrays subjective purpose through her tenacious and

ardent quest for justice for the town's harmed citizens. Erin, who has no background in law,

decides to look into the matter on her own and finds proof that Pacific Gas and Electric

(PG&E) is to blame for poisoning the town's water supply with deadly chromium. She is

driven to pursue justice for the impacted residents and make PG&E account for their acts.

The interactions Erin has with the characters she meets during the movie also reflect her

subjective intention. She has compassion for the town's citizens, listens to their worries, and
prioritizes their needs over her own. Erin's emotional commitment to the case is clear in her

drive to obtain a settlement for the impacted residents, despite resistance from PG&E and her

law firm. The character of Ed Masry, Erin's supervisor and ultimately partner, serves as

another example of subjective intention in the film. Ed soon comes to share Erin's

commitment to pursue justice for the impacted residents, amid his early misgivings about her

skills and the overall cost of taking the case. Ed's subjective intention was to assist Erin in

seeking justice, even if it means taking on possible financial and legal dangers. 

To conclude, the act throughout the movie was not ethical.

 
Principle of double effect

According to the principle of double effect, when an activity has both positive and negative

effects, it is ethically acceptable, or not depending on whether the positive influence

outweighs the negative one. This idea is illustrated while Erin and Ed Masry were debating

whether to pursue the case against PG&E, for instance, Erin thinks the lawsuit should be

pursued since it has the potential to assist several victims of the poisoned water. But,

pursuing the lawsuit may also have unfavorable consequences, such as harming Ed's career,

possibly forcing him to close his small legal company, and getting a second mortgage on his

home. Erin and Ed choose to take on the case despite these dangers because they think the

potential rewards outweigh the potential drawbacks. Another illustration is when Erin takes

the debatable action of visiting the victim's homes and pleading with them to join the case.

The victims may benefit from this action by having a voice and a chance to seek justice, even

though it may have unfavorable consequences like being suspected of soliciting clients. Erin

thinks that aiding the victims will have a greater positive impact than being accused of

soliciting will have a negative one. Lastly, consider Erin's decision to approach the PG&E

executives at a town meeting. She can publicly expose PG&E's malfeasance and mobilize
support for the lawsuit, which has both positive and negative implications. But by making

PG&E more prepared to fight back, her actions might also end up hurting the case. The

positive effects of exposing PG&E's malfeasance and riveting support, in Erin's opinion,

outweigh the possible drawbacks of rendering PG&E eager to fight back. Each of these

instances illustrates how the double effect concept has been applied. The options Erin and the

other characters must make have both positive and negative outcomes, and they must balance

the rewards of each option against the risks of the alternative. Furthermore, the idea of

analysis of consequences is seen through the portrayal of the characters' decision-making and

possible outcomes. The characters' capacity to weigh the pros and cons of their options before

making a choice emphasizes the significance of making moral choices. 

 The moral development of the main character

The protagonist of the film Erin Brockovich, Erin, experiences a substantial moral

transformation throughout the film's narrative. Erin is introduced as a struggling single

mother who can't keep a job and has a fairly pessimistic attitude toward life at the beginning

of the film. Yet as she gets more deeply involved in the case against Pacific Gas and Electric

(PG&E), she grows more conscious of her moral obligation and aware of how her actions can

affect other people. Erin's visit to Donna Jensen's house, one of the victims of the

contamination, is one of the pivotal moments in her moral development. observing the effects

of PG&E's carelessness on Donna's health and the welfare of her family. Erin's commitment

to her moral convictions grows as she becomes more deeply immersed in the case. To

guarantee that the truth about PG&E's malfeasance is revealed as well as to ensure impacted

residents receive the compensation they are due, she is prepared to take chances and make

sacrifices. Her development is anticipated as a result of her decisions to utilize her resources

to pay for medical documents, confront PG&E executives, and reject a settlement to go to

trial. In the end, Erin's moral development is portrayed in the film Erin Brockovich as a

gradual process, as she grows more dedicated to her moral ideals and more eager to take steps

towards advocating for what is right. Erin exhibits a deep sense of empathy and a dedication
to social justice via her deeds, ultimately turning into a beacon of hope and inspiration for the

afflicted locals along with those engaged in the battle against injustice. 

Moral growth and deterioration

Some of the characters go through periods of moral improvement and deterioration. Erin's

individual moral development throughout the film serves as one illustration of moral

development. Erin begins as a struggling single mother who is a little pessimistic and aimless,

as I noted in my earlier response. Yet as she gets more deeply involved in the case against

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), she starts to grow more morally conscious and aware of

how her actions can affect other people. She grows more devoted to upholding her moral

standards and grows more motivated to take a stand for what is right. Nevertheless, several of

the characters have shown signs of moral deterioration. To hide their incompetence and

safeguard the business's earnings, PG&E officials, for instance, engage in unethical and

criminal behavior. The CEOs act without moral accountability by putting their interests ahead

of the health and well-being of the impacted population. A few of the impacted residents'

actions provide yet another illustration of moral decay. A few people try to take advantage of

the situation for their gain, even though the majority of the locals are understanding and kind.

In contrast, although he lacks any supporting proof, one person tries to assert that the

contamination destroyed his boat. Several characters in the film Erin Brockovich are

portrayed as having various moral ideas and ways of acting. Although some characters show

moral development, others show moral deterioration. The film emphasizes the value of

individual accountability and moral judgment, and it demonstrates how small-scale decisions

may have a big impact on the lives of others. 

 Recommendations to resolve ethical issues and development

These are some suggestions for how the moral dilemmas in the film may have been avoided

and overcome, in addition to how each of the key characters could have developed morally:

Erin Brockovich: If Erin had been more open to hearing other people out and taking in what

they had to say, her moral growth would have been better. She is presented as being fiercely

independent and resistant to taking direction or counsel from others for the entirety of the

film. Her perseverance and will are admirable, but her failure to consider the opinions of

others may have had unforeseen bad effects. Erin could have developed her moral character

by being more receptive to criticism and advice from others, which would have improved her

decision-making and helped her avoid pointless fights.

Ed Masry: If Ed had been more open and truthful in his interactions with Erin and the clients,

his moral growth might have been enhanced. He is shown as someone who prioritizes his

own interests over that of his clients throughout the entire film. His hesitation to take on

Erin's case and his initial denial of the potential risks posed by the tainted water are clear

indications of this. Ed could have grown morally by being more open and truthful in his

interactions with Erin and the clients. By doing so, he may have earned their trust and

credibility and prevented future confrontations.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E): If PG&E had handled the toxic water with more openness

and responsibility, their moral development could have improved. They are portrayed as a

business that cares more about money than the welfare of its clients throughout the entire
film. PG&E might have handled the contaminated water with more openness and

transparency to advance their moral development. They could have avoided the subsequent

negative reviews and legal disputes if they had done this.

The community: If the community had been a little more informed of and engaged in local

politics and environmental issues, the moral development of the group could have been

improved. They are shown as a community that is mostly ignorant of both the risks posed by

the poisoned water and their constitutional rights throughout the entire film. The community

may have been more informed and involved in local politics and environmental concerns to

enhance their moral development. This would have made it easier for them to spot issues

early on, deal with them, and prevent the negative effects of the poisoned water.

In conclusion, The movie "Erin Brockovich" sheds light on a number of ethical problems that

reoccur in the legal and business worlds, such as corporate accountability, environmental

degradation, and personal ethics. The movie's characters could have advanced their moral

development and averted many of the issues that developed later on by being more accepting

of criticism, responsible, and truthful.

Ethical Issues
Several ethical questions are brought up in the movie Erin Brockovich, including the

following: 

1. Corporate Responsibility: The movie raises questions about corporate responsibility

because Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) is implicated in poisoning the affected

residents' drinking water. PG&E lacks moral responsibility by placing its financial

interests ahead of the residents' health and well-being. 

2. Legal ethics: The law company that hires Erin is proven to have broken ethical rules

by soliciting clients and accepting a case without sufficient evidence, which brings up

the topic of legal ethics again in the film. Erin also transgresses ethical standards by

soliciting clients using private information. 

3. Environmental Ethics: Because the toxic water supply has serious negative effects on

the environment, the movie emphasizes the issue of environmental ethics. The

affected area's native species and vegetation are also negatively impacted by the

contaminated water in addition to human health. 

4. Personal responsibility: Erin’s evolution from a directionless person to becoming a

person with purpose and determination for Justice emphasizes her responsibility. 

5. Social Justice: Erin fights to expose PG&E's culpability and to make sure that the

affected residents receive the compensation they are due, which is one of how the film

emphasizes the value of social justice. The locals are portrayed in the film as being

defenseless and helpless in the face of the company, and Erin's efforts are presented as

a means of giving them a voice and a chance to seek redress. 

Ultimately, the film Erin Brockovich brings up many moral questions regarding social

fairness, business accountability, legal responsibility, and environmental responsibility. The

value of making moral decisions and the necessity of holding businesses responsible for their

deeds was the emphasis of this movie.