November 6, 2007

The jury in the widely watched Milwaukee case decided that Steven Thomas had ingested lead pigment, but that it was not the cause of his mentally backward state. "Thomas received about $156,000 from other defendants who settled before the case went to trial." A plaintiff's lawyer vowed appeal and said that he and colleagues had lined up thirty more local cases which they intended to go on trying against former paint makers. Notes the Journal-Sentinel: "The case drew national attention because it was on trial in Wisconsin, which has a different and lower threshold than other states on what plaintiffs must prove to win damages." (Thanks, Wisconsin Supreme Court.) Jane Genova as usual has extensive coverage including here, here, and here.