New York Jury Returns Verdict of $3.5 Million in Welding Fume Case
A New York State jury returned a verdict of $3.5 million to the Estate of a man exposed to asbestos found in welding rods. Unlike the majority of welding fume claims, this case involved the asbestos exposure from the welding rods, and not the manganese exposure. The asbestos related injuries are easier to prove, thanks to the years of asbestos litigation and scientific studies.
Parkinson's Disease and Parkinsonism are non-asbestos related injuries. The Parkinson's cases are based on the exposure to manganese and other elements in welding fume, not asbestos. The judge heading the welding fume MDL recently allowed evidence and expert testimony regarding the link between welding fume and Parkinson's. However, the plaintiffs in the early welding fume cases have had difficult proving their burden in the initial cases.