Colorado Man Wins $7M in Popcorn Lung Lawsuit
A suburban Denver man who was diagnosed with “popcorn lung,” possibly from inhaling the artificial butter smell of the microwave popcorn he regularly ate, has won a $7.2 million verdict against various food companies.
Wayne Watson’s attorney, Ken McClain, said a federal jury granted the award Wednesday against Gilster-Mary Lee Corp., The Kroger Co. and Dillon Companies Inc. after he developed respiratory problems in 2007.
Watson previously settled claims against the flavor developer FONA International Inc., formerly Flavors of North America Inc.
Watson argued the companies failed to warn consumers that inhaling the buttery aroma could put them at risk of lung injury.
KCNC-TV in Denver reports defense attorneys had argued Watson’s health problems stemmed not from popcorn but from his years of working with carpet-cleaning chemicals.
- DraftKings Sued Over ‘Risk-Free’ Bets That Were Anything But
- Jury Awards $80M to 3 Former Zurich NA Employees for Wrongful Termination
- California Sees Two More Property Insurers Withdraw From Market
- EVs Head for Junkyard as Mechanic Shortage Inflates Repair Costs
- Millions of Recalled Hyundai and Kia Vehicles, With Dangerous Defect, Remain on Road
- CoreLogic Report Probes Evolving Severe Convective Storm Risk Landscape
- California Sees Two More Property Insurers Withdraw From Market
- Report: Vehicle Complexity, Labor ‘Reshaping’ Auto Insurance and Collision Repair