La. Supreme Court Reverses Award of $625,000 to Benzene Claimant

NEW ORLEANS -- The Louisiana Supreme Court has reversed an award of more than $600,000 in medical expenses to a benzene claimant, concluding that if the employer is liable to anyone, it is the state of Louisiana. Benoit v. Turner Industries Group, No. 2011-C-1130 (La. Sup. Ct.).

In a Jan. 24 opinion, the high court reasoned that since Medicaid paid for the claimant's medical treatment of his benzene-related injuries, he could not collect reimbursement from his employer.

The underlying claims were brought by Jerry Wayne Benoit, who says that his Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) was caused by benzene exposure …