Everyday, people are exposed to manganese through food, air, soil, and water. Workers mine and process manganese for various purposes and products including batteries, fertilizers, pesticides, ceramics, and dietary supplements.

In 1993, the National Institute of Health (NIH) issued a statement concerning manganese and manganism. According to the NIH, "Occupational exposure to manganese for periods of six months to two years can result in manganism, a disease of the central nervous system characterized by psychogenic and neurological disorders with symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease."

Parkinson’s disease, manganism, manganese poisoning, Parkinsonism, and Wilson’s disease have all been linked to manganese exposure. Manganese remains in the central nervous system long after exposure to manganese has occurred, which causes the element to affect the health of individuals years later. Permanent brain damage can result from manganese exposure; therefore, symptoms of manganese poisoning should be checked immediately. The primary symptoms of manganism are fatigue, headache, speech disturbances, mask-like face, rigidity, muscle contractions, some tremors, disorientation, loss of memory, impairment of judgment, abnormal gait or difficulty in walking, and the loss of the ability to control muscular movement. These symptoms are also symptoms of the neurological disorder known as Parkinson's disease.

In the event that you were exposed to manganese and may be suffering the effects of this dangerous element, you should seek immediate medical attention.

Petition Requests Consolidation of California Welding Rod Lawsuits
SAN FRANCISCO - Plaintiffs, represented by Paul, Hanley & Harley in a San Francisco lawsuit, have field a petition to coordinate California State welding products cases.
The petition seeks to coordinate four pending toxic tort cases which all arise out of occupational exposure to manganese- containing welding fumes due to their common issues
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Second California Welding Case Remanded
On June 28, 2004, Judge Ronald S.W. Lew of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, granted plaintiffs’ Motion for Remand filed in the matter Hurley Cogburn and Wanda Cogburn v. BOC Financial Corp., et al. Case No. BC311976.
The case was removed from Los Angeles Superior Court by a number of defendants who claimed fraudulent joinder of the California defendants. Plaintiffs, represented by Paul, Hanley and Harley, moved to have the case remanded back to state court while defendants sought a stay of the action pending transfer to the Ohio Welding Rod Products Liability Litigation.
The Court granted the motion for remand at the hearing and the motion for stay was therefore moot.

MDL Judge Remands 46 Mississippi Cases, Denies Remand in Louisiana Cases
CLEVELAND -- The judge overseeing the welding rod products liability MDL has remanded a total of 46 cases originally filed in Mississippi, ruling that the plaintiffs have stated at least one colorable cause of action against one or more of the non-diverse defendants. However, in the same order, Judge Kathleen M. O'Malley refused to remand seven Louisiana cases... Click Here to Read the entire Article

California Judge: Premises Defendants Properly Joined
SAN FRANCISCO - Premises liability defendants in a California welding rod personal injury and loss of consortium suit were not fraudulently joined, a federal judge concluded April 21. She returned the suit to the Alameda County Superior Court (Edmund Janke, et uxor v. BOC Financial Corp., No. 04-0491, N.D. Calif.). Click Here to Read the entire Article

California Welding Rod Complaint Is Third in Less Than A Month
LOS ANGELES—The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company published a safety booklet in 1938 warning that exposure to manganese may cause an illness similar to Parkinson’s disease, but its importance was downplayed by numerous welding rod manufacturers and trade organizations, a new complaint filed in California contends. Click Here to Read the entire Article