Court Denies Defense Efforts to Sever Claims of Louisiana Benzene Plaintiffs

NEW ORLEANS -- A Louisiana federal court has denied a defense request to drop two plaintiffs from a benzene complaint, ruling that since all of the plaintiffs worked at the same plant, used the same benzene products and allege blood disorders as a result of this exposure, joinder is not improper. Cole, et al. v. Ashland Chemical Inc., et al., No. 09-6584 (E.D. La.).

In the April 26 order and reasons, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana opined that "joinder is not rendered improper simply because some individual plaintiffs might have lifestyle factors that could have …