Denver – 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.
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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.
This award beggars all description. It sums up the “compensation culture” that pervades America today.
Do they screen judges for Alzheimers when they make ridiculous awards?
How obscene!!!!!!!!
This costs us all in the end. As a consumers, we always pay the bill.
Before you get all worked up about this consider the facts.
The manufacturers have known for many years that this stuff is deadly. They concealed the evidence. They fought all attempts to regulate it. They kept using it even though they knew how toxic it was.
They have no shame or decency. The only way to get their attention is by costing them money
Juries these days are illiterate dummies. Can you imagine-this man worked with carpet-cleaning toxic chemicals for years & they decided his lung problems were from a butter aroma ?!!
Nobody forced him to eat the popcorn. Maybe we should sue the makers of all those poisonous snacks our kids insist on buying, or the grocery stores selling them.