Parties in Louisiana Reach Settlement Agreement 1 Week Before Trial

NEW ORLEANS -- Parties in a Louisiana benzene case have reached a settlement agreement one week before the case was scheduled to begin trial, according to a dismissal order entered in the case. Cole, et al. v. Ashland Chemical Inc., et al., No. 09-6584 (E.D. La.).

In a notice filed Feb. 14, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana said that a settlement agreement had been reached. The federal court subsequently dismissed the claims in a separate order issued the same day.

The order was issued just one week before parties were scheduled to pick a jury …