$10.5 million in punitive damages have been ordered to be paid out by corporate giant DuPont in the Ohio case of a man whose testicular cancer was caused by the malicious dumping of chemical C8 into local waterways.
In December of 2016, a verdict was delivered in yet another case against corporate giant DuPont concerning their deliberate dumping of a toxic chemical into the Ohio river which resulted in the illness and death of many in the surrounding area.
At the time, the Ohio court ruled that DuPont must pay out $2 million to an individual who claimed that his testicular cancer was caused by C8. Though $2 million seems small for the gigantic corporation, this case is just the third of thousands that DuPont will face.
Though additional punitive damages were expected to be handed down, this additional 10.5 million is a substantial push on the corporation which begged the courts not to levy an additional fines against them.
Plaintiff Kenneth Vigneron’s attorney Gary Douglas argued against DuPont’s plea for mercy, saying that they have gotten away with their crimes for so many years and still dare to act as if they are entitled to mercy.
“A case of corporate malfeasance of this kind for so many years and they’re still trying to get away, still trying to get off, still trying to get by.”
This is the third case against DuPont concerning the toxic chemical C8 which the corporation dumped into local Ohio rivers. Three juries now have found that not only did DuPont dump the toxic chemical, causing cancer, but that they did so knowingly and with intent to hide the truth from the public.
In this most recent case, “actual malice,” was the term used by the jury to describe the actions by the corporation.
This case was one of 10 which had been scheduled by Ohio U.S. District Judge Edmund Sargus for the next year. Sargus made it clear that he would not be allowing DuPont to drag its heels any longer on the more than 1,000 cases against the corporation.
The difference between these cases is that DuPont has consistently refused to settle or merge the thousands of complaints into a mass tort suit, forcing sick and dying claimants to wait their term to battle it out and gather their owed damages.
Combined with the first two cases won against DuPont, the corporation has been forced to pay out 8.7 million to three plaintiffs. This additional punitive damage fine makes that total $19.2 million.
Considering the overwhelming evidence in these cases, we can expect to see the thousands of other cases awaiting their day in court to go the same way. Bit by bit, DuPont will pay.
