Collateral Estoppel Doesn't Bar Worker's Civil Suit for Alleged Exposure Injuries

A divided West Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the doctrine of collateral estoppel did not bar a worker who failed to prove his occupational disease claim from seeking a civil remedy for injuries allegedly caused by exposure to industrial chemicals. Case: Ruble v. Rust-Oleum Corp., No. 22-0329, 06/12/2024, published. Facts: Between 1996 and 2018, Michael D. Ruble worked at a chemical manufacturing plant near Lesage and was exposed to various toxic raw materials. Ruble claimed he began having some breathing problems in 2016 or 2017. By the end of 2017, Ruble allegedly began to suffer ...