Court Declines to Sever or Transfer Benzene Claims, Finds Venue is Proper

LUFKIN, Texas -- A Texas federal court has rebuffed several attempts by defendants in a benzene action to transfer or sever the claims, concluding that the defendants waived objections to personal jurisdiction when answering the complaint without challenging the court's jurisdiction. Knapper, et al. v. Safety-Kleen Systems Inc., et al., No. 08-84 (E.D. Texas).

In the April 3 opinion, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas additionally declined to sever the claims asserted against plumping defendants, ruling that the factual differences between the solvent and plumbing claims would not likely confuse the jury.

The underlying claims were …