Mich. Court Throws out Benzene Claims, Cites Previously Excluded Expert Testimony

DETROIT –– Benzene claims asserted by plaintiffs in Michigan have been thrown out by a federal court, which ruled that in light of prior findings that the plaintiffs’ expert testimony was inadmissible, the plaintiffs could establish neither specific nor general causation.

In the Aug. 13 opinion, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan opined that a layperson would not under the complexities of a toxic tort case without the aid of an expert.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Howard G. Hendrian, who was allegedly exposed to benzene-containing products while employed at Ford Motor Co. During …