Ohio Court Grants Motion for Sanctions Against Plaintiffs' Counsel in Benzene Case

CLEVELAND -- An Ohio federal court has determined that an award of sanctions against plaintiffs' counsel in a personal injury and property damage case is appropriate since the parties continue to pursue medical monitoring claims despite the "absence of legal and factual support." Baker, et al. v. Chevron USA Inc., et al., No. 05-227 (S.D. Ohio).

In the Jan. 10 opinion, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio rejected opposition to the motion, opining that the plaintiffs' brief was "disheartening" in that it acts as though "the past six years of litigation has never occurred."

The order …