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Monsanto settlement sign-ups significantly fewer than expected

NITRO, W.Va. — The court-appointed claims administrator in a $93 million medical monitoring case involving former Kanawha Valley chemical company Monsanto was disappointed at the low number of residents who have signed up for settlement benefits as Friday’s deadline approached.

“There were over 45-hundred eligible houses for property cleanup and we got less than 500, as of Saturday, who had signed up,” Charleston attorney Tom Flaherty told MetroNews Friday.

The lawsuit filed by those who lived, worked, or attended school in Nitro during the years Monsanto’s herbicide plant produced dioxin settled the case in 2012 ahead of what was expected to be a long and complicated trial. The plaintiffs were awarded medical monitoring for health effects of dioxin as well as environmental cleanup of their property.

The claims office opened in July. Flaherty said he’s not sure why more current and former residents of Nitro haven’t applied. He said the plaintiffs consulted with experts on how to best get the word out.

“We’ve left no stone unturned in trying to notify people including a sign that’s been down there for the last month counting down the days—telling people how many days they have left,” Flaherty said. The claims office was more busy Friday than it has been.

Several thousand residents have signed up for medical monitoring. Flaherty said it will take weeks to determine how many of those are actually eligible. Some have already been approved for blood testing.

“Depending on what the results are of the blood test—if there’s a triggering event then people will come back on a more frequent basis, and if not, those that wish to continue the medical monitoring can every five years for 30 years,” he said.

Flaherty said he knows there are more people who could take advantage of what’s available. He said it’s likely a variety of reasons they are not.

A company has completed two dozen property cleanups. Flaherty said $9 million was set aside for what was expected to be 4,500 homes. He said the work was anticipated to take three years. He said with just more than 500 property owners signing up the work will take probably a year or less.

The money set aside in the settlement will go back to Monsanto if it’s not used according to Flaherty.





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