For many years we have dealt with all types of disease claims -
noise induced hearing loss, vibration white finger, asbestos
related conditions etc. There appears to be a new condition that is
now the subject of litigation - popcorn lung!
Wayne Watson, from Colorado, has developed 'popcorn lung'.
Previously only popcorn factory workers who mixed large vats of
popcorn have said they have lung disease from working in these
conditions and have claimed against companies that produce or use
the butter flavouring which causes the condition. Mr Watson
developed the condition after eating microwave popcorn TWICE A DAY
FOR TEN YEARS.
Mr Watson is suing the store that sold him his daily fix of
popcorn. The basis of the claim is that that the companies 'failed
to warn that preparing microwave popcorn in a microwave oven as
intended and smelling the buttery aroma could expose the consumer
to an inhalation hazard and a risk of lung injury'.
Only in America you may think. However there are already
reported cases of similar claims in the UK.
As a postscript: six months after Mr Watson's doctor told him to
lighten up on the microwave popcorn, our man lost fifty pounds. His
lungs have stopped deteriorating, and are actually showing signs of
improvement.