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IN RE PAOLI R.R. YARD PCB LITIGATION

Nos. 88-1973 to 88-1992, 89-1070 to 89-1079 and 89-1097.

916 F.2d 829 (1990)

In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. BROWN, Christopher S. and Brown, Jacqueline Michell, h/w v. MONSANTO COMPANY, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"), National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"), and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("Conrail") v. CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, United States of America, Christopher Brown, Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD, YARD PCB LITIGATION. BROWN, Cathlene v. MONSANTO COMPANY, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"), National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"), and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") v. CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, United States of America, Cathlene Brown, Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. BROWN, Craig A. and Brown, Catherine D. h/w v. MONSANTO COMPANY, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"), National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"), and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") v. CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, United States of America, Craig Brown, Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. BARBETTA, Margherita v. MONSANTO COMPANY, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"), National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"), and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") v. CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, United States of America, Margherita Barbetta, Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. JOHNSON, Mary Retta v. MONSANTO COMPANY, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"), National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"), and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") v. CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, United States of America, Mary Retta Johnson, Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. BROWN, Celeste v. MONSANTO COMPANY, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"), National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"), and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") v. CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, United States of America, Celeste Brown, Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. BROWN, Clemmon L. v. MONSANTO COMPANY, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"), National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"), and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") v. CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, United States of America, Clemmon L. Brown, Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. BROWN, Cloyd H. v. MONSANTO COMPANY, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"), National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"), and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") v. CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, United States of America, Cloyd H. Brown, Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. BROWN, Curtis v. MONSANTO COMPANY, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"), National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"), and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") v. CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, United States of America, Curtis Brown, Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. REID, William Jr., and Reid, William Jr., Executor of the Estate of Reid, Minni, Deceased v. MONSANTO COMPANY, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA"), National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"), and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") v. UNITED STATES of America, William Reid, Jr., Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. BROWN, Mabel, Individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") v. UNITED STATES of America, Roy F. Wester, Inc., General Electric Company, the Budd Company and Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Mabel Brown, Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. WILLIAMS, Andre, Sr., Individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL"); Monsanto Company; General Electric Company; The City of Philadelphia. Andre Williams, Sr., Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. NARCISE, Helen V., Administratrix of the Estate of Narcise, John G., deceased, Narcise, Helen V. as personal representative of Narcise, John G., Narcise, Helen V. in her own right v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL"); Monsanto Company ("Monsanto"); General Electric Company ("GE"); City of Philadelphia ("Philadelphia") v. UNITED STATES of America, Helen V. Narcise, Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. KNIGHT, Mary Alice v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL"); Monsanto Company ("Monsanto"); General Electric Company ("GE"); City of Philadelphia ("Philadelphia") v. UNITED STATES of America, Mary Alice Knight, Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. INGRAM, John Sr. and Ingram, Patricia in their own right and as parents and natural guardians of Ingram, John Jr., and Ingram, April in her own right v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL"); Monsanto Company ("Monsanto"); General Electric Company ("GE"); City of Philadelphia ("Philadelphia") v. UNITED STATES of America, John Ingram, Sr. and Patricia Ingram, Appellants. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. CUNNINGHAM, Matthew and Cunningham, Bessie v. MONSANTO COMPANY and Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ("SEPTA") and National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak") and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL"), Matthew and Bessie Cunningham, Appellants. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. BURRELL, George Albert and Priscilla Etheridge, in their own right, and Burrell, George Albert and Burrell, Priscilla Etheridge, as parents and natural guardian of Burrell, Amber Shardai, a minor, and Burrell, George Albert, as parent and natural guardian of Walker, Andrew, a minor, and Burrell, Priscilla Etheridge, as parent and natural guardian of Burrell, Bobby George Albert Christian, a minor, v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"), and National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"), and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") v. UNITED STATES of America, George Albert Burrell and Priscilla Etheridge Burrell, Appellants. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. CUMMINS, Wallace Darryl v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); and National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"), and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") v. UNITED STATES of America, Wallace Darryl Cummins, Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. JONES, K. Louise, Administratrix of the Estate of Jones, Harvey N. Jr., Deceased and Jones, K. Louise as Personal Representative of Jones, Harvey N. Jr., and Jones, K. Louise in Her Own Right v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"), National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak") and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") v. UNITED STATES of America, City of Philadelphia, K. Louise Jones, Appellant. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. STANBACH, Charles W., Executor of the Estate of Stanbach, Charles, Jr., deceased and Stanbach, Charles W., as a personal representative of Stanbach, Charles W. in his own right and Stanbach, Susanna v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"), and National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"), and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") and Monsanto Company ("Monsanto") v. CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Charles and Susanna Stanbach, Appellants. In re PAOLI RAILROAD YARD PCB LITIGATION. BUTLER, William; Butler, Theresa; Simpson, Marvin L.; Simpson, Allen K.; Simpson, Karen R.; Simpson, Donald E.; and Jackson, Bryan M. v. SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY ("SEPTA"); National Railroad Passenger Corporation ("Amtrak"); and Consolidated Rail Corporation ("CONRAIL") v. UNITED STATES of America, City of Philadelphia, William Butler, Theresa Butler, Marvin L. Simpson, Allen K. Simpson, Karen R. Simpson, Donald E. Simpson and Bryan M. Jackson, Appellants.

United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit.

Decided September 20, 1990.

As Amended October 29, 1990.

As Amended November 23, 1990.

Rehearing and Rehearing Denied November 23, 1990.

Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

D. Bruce Hanes, Friedman and Hanes, Philadelphia, Pa., for Christopher Brown, Cathlene Brown, Craig Brown, Margherita Barbetta, Mary Retta Johnson, Celeste Brown, Clemmon L. Brown, Cloyd Brown, Curtis Brown, appellants.

James C. Sargent, Jr., Lamb, Windle & McErlane, P.C., West Chester, Pa., for William Reid, Jr., appellant.

Geoffrey L. Beauchamp, Wisler, Pearlstine, Talone, Craig & Garrity, Norristown, Pa., Kenneth Roos (argued), Joseph Donley, Kittredge, Kaufman & Donley, Philadelphia, Pa., for William Butler, Theresa Butler, Marvin L. Simpson, Allen K. Simpson, Karen R. Simpson, Donald E. Simpson and Bryan M. Jackson, appellants.

Charlotte E. Thomas, Arnold E. Cohen (argued), John H. Spelman, Andrew O. Schiff, Klehr, Harrison, Harvey, Branzburg, Ellers & Weir, and Harold E. Kohn, Joseph C. Kohn, Kohn, Savett, Klein & Graf, Philadelphia, Pa., for Mabel Brown, Andre Williams, Sr., Helen V. Narcise, Mary Alice Knight, John and Patricia Ingram, Matthew and Bessie Cunningham, George Albert Burrell, Priscilla Etheridge, Wallace Darryl Cummins, K. Louise Jones, Charles W. Stanbach, appellants.

Michael H. Malin (argued), James D. Shomper, Jeanne Proko-Elkins, White and Williams, Philadelphia, Pa., for Monsanto Co., appellee.

Roger F. Cox (argued), Jerome R. Richter, George J. Krueger, Jay W. Eisenhofer, Blank, Rome, Comisky & McCauley, Philadelphia, Pa., for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transp. Authority ("SEPTA"), appellee.

John G. Kester (argued), John W. Vardaman, Jr., Mark A. Srere, Diana L. Schacht, Williams & Connolly, Washington, D.C., Harry A. Short, Jr., Stephen M. McManus, Liebert, Short, Fitzpatrick & Hirshland, Philadelphia, Pa., for General Elec. Co., appellee.

Richard J. Gold, First Deputy City Sol., Joy J. Bernstein, Deputy City Sol., City Solicitor's Office, Philadelphia, Pa., for City of Philadelphia, appellee.

David Richman, Katherine Kramer Laird, Pepper, Hamilton & Scheetz, Philadelphia, Pa., for Consolidated Rail Corp. ("CONRAIL"), appellee.

Richard A. Kraemer, Nancy H. Resnick, Margolis, Edelstein, Scherlis, Sarowitz & Kraemer, Philadelphia, Pa., for National Rail Passenger Corp. ("AMTRAK"), appellee.

Richard F. Kingham, Bruce N. Kuhlik, Marjorie E. Powell, Covington & Burling, Washington, D.C., for American Tort Reform Ass'n, amicus curiae.

Denis V. Brenan, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, Philadelphia, Pa., for American Council on Science and Health, Inc., amicus curiae.

C. James Zeszutek, Michael R. Bucci, Jr., Thorp, Reed & Armstrong, Pittsburgh, Pa., for The Pennsylvania Defense Institute, amicus curiae.

Shephen M. Shapiro, John E. Muench, Kathleen M. Hennessey, Mayer, Brown & Platt, Chicago, Ill., for The Chamber Of Commerce of The U.S., The Chemical Mfrs. Ass'n, The Nat. Ass'n of Mfrs., The Business Roundtable, and The Product Liability Advisory Council, Inc., amicus curiae.

Robert C. Barnard, Sara D. Schotland, Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, Washington, D.C., for American Industrial Health Council, amicus curiae.

Thomas W. Brunner, Laura A. Foggan, Frederick S. Ansell, Wiley, Rein & Fielding, Washington, D.C., for American Ins. Ass'n, amicus curiae.

Leonard W. Schroeter, Schroeter, Goldmark & Bender, Seattle, Wash., Jerry S. Cohen, Anthony Z. Roisman, Richard S. Lewis, Cohen, Milstein & Hausfeld, Washington, D.C., for Trial Lawyers for Public Justice.

Arthur H. Bryant, Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, Washington, D.C., for American Public Health Ass'n, et al., amicus curiae.

Arnold Levin, David J. Perlman, Levin, Fishbein, Sedran & Berman, Philadelphia, Pa., Lee C. Swartz, Hepford, Swartz, Menaker & Morgan, Harrisburg, Pa., for James D. Carrigan, amicus curiae.

Before BECKER, MANSMANN and NYGAARD, Circuit Judges.

Rehearing and Rehearing In Banc Denied November 23, 1990.

OPINION OF THE COURT

BECKER, Circuit Judge.

This is a toxic tort case brought by some thirty-eight persons who have either worked in or lived adjacent to the Paoli railyard, an electric railcar maintenance facility at the western terminus of the noted Paoli Local, which serves the Philadelphia Main Line. The plaintiffs' primary claim is that they have contracted a variety of illnesses as the...

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