DuPont ordered to pay $2 million after jurors found 'actual malice' in suit over chemical linked to cancer
DuPont was ordered on Wednesday to pay $2 million after a jury found the company liable for diseases linked to a Teflon-making chemical, Reuters reported.

The multinational chemical giant will pay a man who said he developed testicular cancer from exposure to a toxic chemical leaked from one of the company's plants, according to the plaintiff's lawyer Robert Bilott.

Bilott said the Ohio jurors found "actual malice," raising a possibility of additional punitive damages in DuPont's case, according to Reuters.

The verdict is the third time DuPont has been found liable for diseases linked to perfluorooctanoic acid, known as PFOA or C-8, which is used to make Teflon, the nonstick coating on pots and pans.

"Additional trials are expected, and they will be defended on an individual basis under the facts and circumstances of each case," Cynthia Salitsky, Chemours spokesperson, said in a statement.

She continued: "This type of litigation typically takes place over many years, and interim results do not predict the final outcome of cases. It is important to note that DuPont is the named defendant in each of the cases and is liable for any judgment. We will have further comments when the trial is over."



DuPont is likely to face between 250 and 300 lawsuits brought by individuals who say they contracted kidney or testicular cancer from C-8. Lawsuits said the company used the chemical, which had been found in nearby drinking water, knowing it was toxic.



In October of last year, a jury awarded a woman $1.6 million after she sued DuPont over contamination of drinking water in Ohio River communities.

—Reuters contributed to this report.