Medical Group, West Virginia Gov. Anger DuPont Plaintiffs in $400M Verdict

The plaintiffs who won a nearly $400 million verdict against DuPont say West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin and that state’s Medical Association should butt out of the appeal.

DuPont lost a lawsuit over its handling of pollution and health threats at a zinc-smelting plant.

Manchin and the association have filed friend-of-the-court briefs in DuPont’s appeal. But two plaintiffs see that as a betrayal and say it forces them to wait longer for relief.

A spokesman says Manchin isn’t siding with DuPont or questioning the verdict. The governor wants a procedural question addressed so companies get a fair shake when ordered to pay punitive damages.

Meanwhile, the medical association argues radiation from CT scans in the case’s medical monitoring plan will likely create more cancer than it will detect.