Calif. Trial Court Awards Summary Judgment to U.S. Steel in Benzene Case; Says Defendant Protected by Bulk Supplier Doctrine

OAKLAND, Calif. –– A California trial court has awarded summary judgment to United States Steel Corp. in a benzene case, finding “undisputed evidence” that the defendant was a bulk supplier of raffinate to Radiator Specialty, a co-defendant the court says was “fully informed” of benzene health hazards.

In the April 14 ruling, the California Superior Court for Alameda County opined that the plaintiffs failed to offer any evidence supporting the conclusion that U.S. Steel withheld or concealed information from Radiator about the hazards, or otherwise failed to provide information about the product that was not equally available to Radiator from …