Defendant Urges Mississippi Court to Sever Silica Claims

HAZLEHURST, Miss. - Defendant 3M, named in a Mississippi silica case involving 19 plaintiffs and more than 50 additional defendants, has moved the court to sever the claims arguing that the confusion created by the circumstances surrounding the alleged exposures makes it too difficult to try as one case. Johnson, et al. v. American Optical Corp., et al., No. 2002-0030 (Miss. Cir. Ct., Copiah Cty.).

In a motion filed in late October, 3M asserts that the 'shotgun-style' complaint has too many variables for the state's joinder laws to apply.

'To put it simply, consolidated trial of this action will devolve …