Judge Limits West Virginians’ Suit Against DuPont to Health Screenings

A group of Parkersburg, West Virginia, residents has persuaded a federal judge to let it press DuPont to fund a medical monitoring program.

But this week’s ruling from U.S. District Judge Joseph Goodwin also gutted the rest of the residents’ 2006 lawsuit against the chemical giant.

The residents allege exposure to ammonium perfluorooctanoate from DuPont’s Washington Works plant. Also known as PFOA or C8, the chemical is used to make Teflon.

The case had also sought damages alleging negligence, reckless conduct and other grounds. The surviving portion seeks health screenings to detect any long-term health issues.

DuPont agreed to spent $70 million on such a program to settle a 2001 C8 lawsuit involving residents of six public water districts in West Virginia and Ohio.