Worker Fails to Assert Viable Intentional Tort Claim for Alleged Paint Exposure Injuries

The Connecticut Appellate Court upheld the dismissal of a worker’s intentional tort claim against his employer based on alleged injuries from industrial exposure to paint. Henry Lavette III worked for Stanley Black & Decker Inc. as a store attendant. His job duties included painting by brush and by spray. A co-worker gave Lavette a respirator to use when he was hired, but about a month later, a safety manager told Lavette he was not authorized to use the respirator in the workplace. Lavette stopped using the respirator, then allegedly developed symptoms from his exposure to paint....