An Ohio man has recently been awarded a jury verdict victory against DuPont after he sued them for causing his testicular cancer. The man’s lawsuit claimed that DuPont’s negligence and that of its spinoff company, Chemours Co., allowed a dangerous carcinogen known as C-8 to enter his water supply. The Columbus jury needed less than a day to deliberate and concluded that DuPont was indeed responsible for its negligence, intentional malice, and upwards of $5.1 million in total damages.
What is C-8?
According to 3M, who first created C-8 and later sold it to DuPont, the chemical can be used to give Teflon its signature nonstick characteristics. The lawsuit against DuPont alleged that the conglomerate had evidence to believe that C-8 was a toxic chemical as early as 1961 after it studied birth defects in the children of its own employees. DuPont would allegedly collect more research in 1984 regarding C-8’s toxicity but did not release any findings; the company still affirms today that C-8 is safe and no more dangerous than many other substances found in the average glass of tap water.
Consecutive Losses for DuPont
This is the second trial lawsuit DuPont has lost regarding C-8 contamination; the first suit awarded a woman, also in Ohio, $1.6 million for damages. Chemours Co. originally stated that it would cover any damages awarded to plaintiffs through the trials, as the dangerous runoff stemmed from their facilities, but later seemed to renege on the offer. A spokesperson for Chemours was quoted as saying, “DuPont is named defendant […] and is directly liable for any judgement. In the event DuPont claims that it is entitled to indemnification from Chemours as to some or all of the judgement, Chemours retains its defenses to such claims.”
No matter who pays the compensation, these recent trials have blazed a trail for more than 3,500 other lawsuits against the DuPont for C-8 exposure. Ohio federal court is currently consolidated all of the complaints into a mass tort. Some analysts predict a payout of more than $1 billion to total plaintiffs, although even this could be a conservative estimate.
If you think you may have a claim against DuPont, you may still be able to file an individual lawsuit against them or opt into the forming mass tort. Contact our Columbus personal injury attorneys from Rourke and Blumenthal LLC today and we can help explain your legal options, point you in the right direction, and provide trusted advocacy backed by more than 75 years of combined experience.