Defendants Ask MDL Court to Postpone July Trial for Additional Discovery

CLEVELAND - Defendants faced with a July trial date in in the next bellwether case have asked the presiding judge in the multi-district litigation for a postponement of several months while they complete discovery. Byers v. Lincoln Electric Co., et al., No. 1:04-CV-17033 [In re: Welding Fume Products liability Litigation, MDL Docket 1535] (N.D. Ohio).

Defendants filed a motion for a continuance on March 13 in the case brought by Alabama resident Eddie Byers, saying that his 35 different employers and five neurologists necessitated additional discovery.

Defense counsel also said they have yet to receive responses to requests for workers …