September 4, 2026
A Michigan federal judge on Friday allowed plaintiffs suing the federal government over its response to the Flint water crisis to replace a pediatric neuropsychology expert who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, while barring the replacement expert from conducting a new examination or expanding on the original expert’s opinions.
U.S. District Judge Linda V. Parker granted the plaintiffs’ request to substitute Mira Jourdan, Ph.D., for Nancy Parsons, Ph.D., who had examined a minor bellwether plaintiff identified as J.M. in the Federal Tort Claims Act litigation against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The plaintiffs allege the EPA negligently responded to the Flint water crisis.
The federal government did not oppose replacing Parsons, who is no longer working because of her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, but argued Jourdan should not be allowed to conduct her own independent medical examination of J.M. or offer opinions that go beyond those Parsons previously disclosed.
Judge Parker agreed that those restrictions were necessary.
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The residents are represented by Cary S. McGehee, Beth Rivers and Channing Robinson-Holmes of Pitt McGehee Palmer Bonanni & Rivers PC, Leslie Mitchell Kroeger of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll LLP, Teresa A. Bingman of the Law Offices of Teresa A. Bingman, Julie H. Hurwitz of Goodman Hurwitz & James PC, Paul J. Napoli of Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, and Deborah A. LaBelle of the Law Offices of Deborah A. Labelle.
Read Judge Allows Expert Swap in Flint Water Crisis FTCA Case.