La. Court: Plaintiffs Don't Have to Specify Valspar Product 'At This Time'

NEW ORLEANS -- A Louisiana federal court has denied benzene defendant Valspar Corp.'s motion to dismiss, opining that the plaintiff did not have to state which specific Valspar product allegedly harmed him at the current stage of the litigation. Singleton, et al. v. Chevron USA Inc., et al., No. 11-1199 (E.D. La.).

In the July 21 opinion, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana also rejected the defendant's efforts to dismiss on grounds that the Louisiana Products Liability Act governed some of the plaintiffs' claims.

The plaintiffs allege that William Singleton was exposed to benzene while …