Counsel for the welding rod manufacturers have been busy defending simultaneous trials - one in Mississippi federal court and one in Louisiana state court. Both trials ended late last week. After consecutive trial victories by Plaintiffs, including a victory in the Mississippi case, counsel for the welding rod manufacturers can take a deep breath after a big win in Louisiana.

On Thursday, after 2 days of deliberations, jurors in a Gulfport, Mississippi, Federal District Court awarded Robert Jowers $2.9 million against 3 welding rod manufacturers. The two week trial was presided over by Judge Kathleen O'Malley, who oversees the federal welding rod product liability MDL in the Northern District of Ohio. Mr. Jowers spent 33 years as a shipfitter, sheetmetal worker, insulator, and foreman. One of Mr. Jowers' treating physicians testified that as a result of his exposure to welding fumes during his career he now suffers from manganism. Although the jury awarded Mr. Jowers $1.2 million in compensatory damages, they also found him to be 40% responsible for his injuries. The jury also awarded Mr. Jowers $1.7 in punitive damages - $750,000 each against Lincoln Electric and the ESAB Group, and $200,000 against the BOC Group. Interestingly, the jury did not award Donna Jowers any damages on her loss of consortium claim.

On Friday, after more than 3 weeks of testimony, jurors in Judge Lloyd Medley's New Orleans, Louisiana, State District Court took about an hour to return a verdict in favor of the welding rod manufacturers on claims brought by 4 former welders. Noah Andre, Timmy Champagne, Ronnie LaBauve, and Silvester Lethermon brought claims against various welding rod manufacturers asserting that they each suffer from manganism as a result of being exposed to welding fumes during their careers as welders and pipefitters. The welding rod manufacturers argued that Andre, Champagne, and LaBauve suffer from Parkinson's disease, not manganism, and Silvester suffers from a psychogenic tremor. A significant factor in this case appears to be the fact that none of the plaintiffs' treating physicians diagnosed them with manganism; only Dr. Paul Nauseida, a well-known plaintiff's expert, diagnosed the plaintiffs with manganism.

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