It can vary. Sometimes a civil action based on a true story is very accurate, but other times, there might be some creative liberties taken for dramatic effect.
Jan Schlichtmann is a main character. He was the lawyer who fought for the plaintiffs. Another important character was the victims themselves, as they were the ones directly affected by the contaminated water and seeking justice.
One of the significant events in the 'A Civil Action' True Story was the struggle of the lawyer, Jan Schlichtmann. He took on the case believing in the cause of the victims. His journey in trying to hold the polluting companies accountable was filled with difficulties. He had to deal with financial constraints as the case dragged on, yet he persevered in the face of a powerful corporate defense.
The fact that it's real makes it compelling. People are often more interested in stories that actually happened. We can relate to the real - life characters and their situations.