Punitive Damages of $10.5M Added To DuPont C-8 Cancer Verdict

A federal jury in Ohio has ordered DuPont to pay an additional $10.5 million in punitive damages to punish the company for the release of chemicals into the local water supply from a West Virginia plant, after awarding $2 million in compensatory damages last week to a man who alleged that exposure to C-8 caused him develop testicular cancer.

DuPont faces roughly 3,500 lawsuits brought by individuals who lived around it’s Washington Works Plant in Parkersburg, West Virginia, alleging that they suffered various injuries due to water contamination caused by the release of C-8, which is a chemical used to manufacture products like Teflon and Gore-Tex.

In the third “bellwether” case to go to trial, a jury awarded $2 million in compensatory damages in late December, in a case brought by Kenneth Vigneron. Following a second phase of the trial that concluded this week, the same jury ordered DuPont to pay an additional $10.5 million in punitive damages, after finding that the company acted maliciously.

Do You Know About...

Childhood Diabetes Lawsuits Against Junk Food Industry

Lawyers are now pursuing financial compensation for families of children diagnosed with Type II diabetes, fatty liver disease and other chronic illnesses caused by addictive and harmful substances in ultra-processed foods.

The case was being closely watched, as it may help gauge how juries will respond to similar evidence and testimony that will be presented throughout the litigation. The verdict also comes after separate juries awarded $1.6 million and $5.6 million in damages following two earlier bellwether trials.

Each of the plaintiffs pursuing DuPont C-8 exposure lawsuit raise similar allegations, indicating that the company knew for years that chemicals released from the plant posed serious health problems for area residents, including a risk of cancer, birth defects and other complications. Plaintiffs maintain that DuPont did little to prevent numerous spills and releases into the environment.

DuPont C-8 Health Problems

DuPont C-8 is a toxic, cancer-causing agent that stays in the environment indefinitely; never breaking down, according to allegations in the lawsuits filed by area residents.

Studies have linked C-8 exposure to kidney disease, thyroid disease, ulcerative colitis, testicular cancer, pregnancy-induced hypertension, and increases in cholesterol.

Lawsuits filed by residents allege that they were affected by the contamination of their water supply. The lawsuits claim the company knew C-8 was toxic since at least 1961, but failed to take adequate steps to prevent water contamination or to warn workers or nearby residents of the health risks.

In the wake of a 2005 class action lawsuit brought by residents against Du Pont, a panel of independent epidemiologists was assigned to look at the dangers of C-8. In a study released in July, they confirmed many of the ailments linked to exposure. The study looked at 70,000 residents who were exposed to the chemical via their drinking water.

0 Comments

Share Your Comments

This field is hidden when viewing the form
I authorize the above comments be posted on this page*
Post Comment
Weekly Digest Opt-In

Want your comments reviewed by a lawyer?

To have an attorney review your comments and contact you about a potential case, provide your contact information below. This will not be published.

NOTE: Providing information for review by an attorney does not form an attorney-client relationship.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

More Top Stories

Lawyers in Suboxone Dental Lawsuits Fail To Reach Agreement on Bellwether Selection Process
Lawyers in Suboxone Dental Lawsuits Fail To Reach Agreement on Bellwether Selection Process (Posted 3 days ago)

Plaintiffs involved in Suboxone dental lawsuits indicate the bellwether selection process may be delayed due to the defendants' approach to the discovery process, which they say will cause significant delays in the litigation.