One of the law firms representing 2,000 property owners impacted by the Edenville dam failure say they plan to appeal to after the case was dismissed on April 24, 2026.
The Michigan Court of Claims ruled the state was not liable for the damage caused by the dam collapse, because the dam was privately owned.
Ven Johnson is the president of the Ven Johnson Law Firm, he told WCMU in a written statement "the fight is far from over”.
Johnson says the evidence of the case warrants a second review. He said he plans to appeal the case to the Michigan Supreme Court.
“The fact that a Michigan resident does not have redress, does not have some ability to recover their losses from the state government not doing its job,” Johnson said is an "offensive notion to most people, most taxpayers.”
EGLE said, in a written statement to WCMU, that they are working with communities to prevent a disaster like this from happening again.
They said recent flooding events are highlight the importance of “strengthening inspection and planning requirements, and ensuring the state has the tools needed to identify and address high‑risk structures.”
With more than half of dams in Michigan being privately owned, Johnson says this case could serve as a roadmap for future disasters.
“It's a horrible, horrible precedent for not just Michigan, but for all over the country,” Johnson said. “Simply because a government entity can shave some bucks off their budget by not doing something that they should, doesn't mean they should be allowed to do it.”
In a written statement, Michigan’s Attorney General, Dana Nessel wrote that the evidence has always shown the state wasn’t responsible for the dam failure.
"We acknowledge the lasting impact this has on Mid-Michigan, and our thoughts remain with those affected,” she said.
Ven Johnson says he will "continue to represent our folks and our clients from all over the mid-Michigan area that were devastated by these events.”
