Nevada Supreme Court Affirms $7.5 Million Verdict Entered in Benzene Gasoline Exposure Suit

CARSON CITY, Nev. –– The Nevada Supreme Court has affirmed a $7.5 million benzene verdict entered in a gasoline exposure suit, finding that the plaintiffs’ presentation of dosage evidence combined with evidence of chromosomal alterations was enough to establish specific causation.

In the Dec. 16 decision, the state high court also rejected defendant Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP’s challenges to general causation, and a cross-appeal brought by the plaintiffs contesting the exclusion of their punitive damage claim.

The claims were brought on behalf of Rick Lewis, whose myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) was allegedly caused by exposure to gasoline. Lewis was employed …