DuPont hit with $10.5 million in punitive damages over leaked chemical
(Reuters) — A U.S. jury in Ohio on Thursday ordered DuPont Co. to pay $10.5 million in punitive damages to a man who said he developed testicular cancer from exposure to a toxic chemical leaked from a DuPont plant, the plaintiff's lawyer, Robert Bilott, said.
The federal jury had awarded Kenneth Vigneron $2 million in compensatory damages in December.
This is the third time that jurors in Columbus, Ohio federal court have found DuPont liable for individuals' injuries linked to perfluorooctanoic acid, known as PFOA or C-8, which is used to make Teflon.
"The jury has sent a strong message that we hope DuPont will listen to," Mr. Bilott said.
DuPont faces more than 3,400 lawsuits over the leak of the chemical from its Parkersburg, West Virginia, plant.
The leak allegedly contaminated local water supplies and has been linked to six diseases, including testicular and kidney cancer. Mr. Vigneron claimed he developed testicular cancer from the chemical exposure.
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DuPont must pay punitive damages in Teflon-related lawsuit
(Reuters) — U.S. jurors ordered DuPont on Friday to pay an additional $500,000 in punitive damages to a man who said he developed testicular cancer from exposure to a toxic chemical used to make Teflon at one of its plants, according to a lawyer for the plaintiff.
