They were under the impression that they would be able to get away with it. The entire system was on their side, they knew they had the power, the money and the connections to do it. They were sure that no one would be able to stop them. They believed that there was no reason to worry about what the common folk might do. But they had no idea how wrong they were. The farmer had spent years and years working on his revenge plan. He was excited to finally get his revenge.

Getting Away With It

There was one chemical firm that would often dump toxic waste on some humble farmers’ lands. They didn’t care that their actions had heinous consequences. Eric Wilson was one of the farmers affected by the firm’s actions. Eric didn’t have an expensive education, nor did he have the power and influence to confront the firm. But that didn’t stop him from having the drive and wit to come up with a plan that would make the firm regret their decision.

Eric Wilson

67 year old Eric Wilson was born and raised in Elberta, Alabama and he lived there for his entire life. Like most of his neighbors, he was a farmer in his area. Elberta is famous for its agriculture and a big portion of its population makes a living out of growing corn, soybeans, and wheat. Although this way of living has its benefits, it’s not as easy as you might think.

Elberta, Alabama

The tough part about farming labor is that it involves a ton of physical work and long shifts. It’s common for farmers in Elberta to work from the break of dawn until the sun goes down.Despite being an old man, Eric was still able to maintain his farm as well as he did when he was a young man. Farming was all he knew, it was the only way he knew how to make a living. He wasn’t prepared to let anyone or anything jeopardize his living.

Tough Job

As a child, he had only attended 3 years of school. This was common for the people in his area, especially during the time he was raised. As a child, the priority was for every boy to start earning money in order to help their families out. Luckily, local agriculture made it possible for everyone to make a decent living. But things changed as the years went by.

Times Changed

The industries around Elberta began flourishing. At the time, it didn’t seem like a problem at all. The region’s economy was thriving, which was a good thing! It was easy for people in the area to get work, which was amazing. But soon, they realized that these industries were releasing some pollution that was taking its toll on the region&#8217;s main industry: farming

Flourishing

Wilson saw what was happening and he knew that eventually it would become a problem for his livelihood. This was confirmed when a few trucks from a big chemical company firm appeared close to the fields where Wilson was working. Wilson watched them carefully from afar, they stood still for an hour before they finally left. He frowned. What on earth were they up to?

Becoming A Problem

Once he was sure that they were gone, he made his way closer to where they had stopped. He wanted to see what was going on. He had a foul feeling in the pit of his stomach. He suspected the worst. When he finally reached the spot, he saw it. He let out a loud gasp as he took a step back. What he found was worse than anything he could have imagined.

Getting Answers 

Acres and acres of fields around him were drowning in toxic waste. He felt his heart sink. This was a massive problem because not only would this ruin their harvests for the time being, but it would also ruin every harvest for years to come. Wilson’s blood began to boil. Surely this was illegal! But even if it was illegal, what would Wilson be able to do about it? He didn’t make enough money to hire a lawyer and sue the company. But he had other plans.

What Could He Do?

He decided to go to the authorities. But when he got there, they informed him that he would have to build a case against the company. He was told to get evidence of the firm&#8217;s actions and then bring a lawsuit. But because of Wilson&#8217;s limited resources, this seemed like a battle of David versus Goliath. But he had a trick up his sleeve. He wouldn’t let the firm get away with it.

Making A Plan

For the next six years, Wilson spent all his spare time preparing the lawsuit all by himself. It was a battle he had to fight and win. He just had to do it; for his village, for his neighbors, and for his own dignity. And even though he couldn&#8217;t hire a lawyer and didn&#8217;t have more than three years of school education, he found a way to face the firm and make them pay for what they did.

Six Years Of Study

Wilson spent years wandering around every library and bookstore in town and going through every legal volume he could get his hands on. He couldn&#8217;t even afford to buy them. He just brought a notebook and a pen with him and wrote down everything he thought could be useful. This was a difficult task, but something else made it even more complicated.

Wandering Around Bookstores

Wilson had to carry a dictionary with him and look up the words he read in the legal volumes. He didn’t understand many of them; so he basically had to give himself an education in law! One can only imagine how titanic of a task it was for this farmer who dropped out of school after just 3 years.

It Was Hard For Him

After 6 years, Wilson finally managed to complete and present the lawsuit. And after that, it took the courts 8 years more to process it and get the trial started. Little is known about why this happened, but it seems to be related to the big firm&#8217;s connections to the political and judicial powers. But eventually, Wilson got a court&#8217;s decision about his case.

6 Years Later

Finally, the court ruled that the chemical firm would have to pay almost more than $800,000 to Wilson and his neighbors in compensation for the damage done to their farms! It seemed like Wilson had won a battle that seemed impossible. But shortly after the court&#8217;s decision, the chemical firm appealed. Wilson’s battle had just begun.

Chemical Firm Dumps Waste On Farmer's Land, Then He Makes Them Regret It