La. Court Affirms Damages for Chemical Workers and Neighbors

GRETNA, La. - A Louisiana appellate court has affirmed awards ranging from $1,500 to $3,500 for workers and neighbors of a Union Carbide Corp. chemical plant that experienced a chemical fume leak in 1998 after a tropical storm. Howard v. Union Carbide Corp., No. 08-CA-750 (La. Ct. App., 5th Cir.).

The Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal rejected claims by two of the 14 plaintiffs, but affirmed the remainder of the awards on Oct. 27 by a 3-2 majority. The dissenting judges agreed that claims by two of the plaintiffs were unsupported, but said they would have significantly reduced the …