Minnesota Man Alleges 30 Years of Exposure to Welding Fumes Caused Physical, Emotional Harm

MINNEAPOLIS -- A Minnesota man claims in a new lawsuit that welding equipment suppliers and others fraudulently withheld information about the dangers of welding rod fumes, thus exposing him to harmful manganese-containing fumes for nearly 30 years. Knight v. A.O.Smith Corp., et al., No. 05-64MJD/JGL (D. Minn.).

In the lawsuit filed Jan. 10 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, Harvey Knight asserts that federal jurisdiction is proper and he anticipates a transfer of his claims to the Welding Rod Products Liability Litigation MDL in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.

Knight alleges …