This is an article by environmental litigator Shawn Collins discussing his experience in environmental class action cases, and why homeowners cannot afford to trust what the polluting companies say. Their lawyers or public relations executives will spin the story to deny their involvement, or minimize the extent of the damage or its negative health effects.

The article starts in Fukushima Japan, with its recent nuclear disaster. Shawn shows how companies across the US and around the world deny, deceive, or simply speak before they know the facts.

Having represented over 20,000 families in a dozen of these cases, Collins has heard it all. He explains why the polluting companies say what they say, and why you can't afford to believe them or even the EPA.

Whether the relevant chemical or toxin is TCE, PCE, PCBs, benzene, arsenic, VOCs, MTBEs, or others, the stories they spin are consistent. And Collins details the "Polluters' PR Playbook" with his favorite lines they consistently use to try to avoid or minimize their liability. It's interesting reading, especially for anyone involved in one of these situations.