Tort Reform Group Seeks Reversal of Silica Verdict, Clarification of Sophisticated User Doctrine

AUSTIN, Texas - The American Tort Reform Association is weighing in on a silica case pending review before the Texas Supreme Court, asking the court to apply the sophisticated user doctrine to the case and reverse a jury's award of more than $7 million to a former sandblaster. U.S. Silica Company v. Tompkins, No. 03-0195 (Texas Sup. Ct.).

In a brief filed June 28, ATRA urges the Texas Supreme Court to grant review of a recent decision affirming the verdict so that the sophisticated user can be more clearly defined as a mechanism for keeping the silica litigation from unnecessarily …