Special Master Recommends Severance of Sandblasters' Claims

PORT GIBSON, Miss. - For the second time in two months, a special master in Mississippi has recommended severance for a multi-plaintiff silica case, finding that the plaintiffs' claims should be tried separately because they allege unique exposure histories involving a number of different defendants. Tyler v. Pulmosan Safety Equipment, et al., No. 2002-214 (Miss. Cir. Ct., Claiborne Cty.).

On July 31, Special Master X.M. Frascogna issued his Report and Recommendation to sever claims by six sandblasters who sued more than 100 defendants for injuries allegedly sustained as a result of their exposure to silica.

Frascogna found that although the …