Defendants Move to Sever, Cite Lack of Commonality Among Plaintiffs

ATLANTA -- Claiming that the only commonality existing among 340 welding rod plaintiffs is the involved counsel, defendants in seven Georgia welding rod complaints have moved to sever. Burnette, et al., v. Dennis Welding Supply, et al., No. 2003VS52788G (Ga. State Ct., Fulton Cty.).

In a motion filed May 3 in the Georgia State Court for Fulton County, the defendants argue that the plaintiffs cannot join their claims together simply because their causes of action are rooted in alleged exposure to welding fumes from products with similar warning labels.

'Without severance or dismissal, there would be individualized questions concerning a …