California Jury Awards $25 Million to Man Who Developed Lung Disease Linked to PAM Butter-Flavored Cooking Spray
America ı By Tyler Brooks
0 Comments
A California civil jury has awarded $25 million to Ronald Esparza after finding Conagra Brands liable for causing his debilitating lung disease, bronchiolitis obliterans, linked to the company’s PAM butter-flavored cooking spray. The verdict comes after several weeks of testimony in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The jury unanimously determined that Conagra’s negligence in the design of its PAM products was a substantial factor in causing Esparza’s condition. The panel also concluded the cooking spray failed to perform safely as expected by an ordinary consumer and that Conagra failed to adequately warn users about the risks associated with diacetyl, a chemical added to the butter flavoring.
The verdict, delivered after roughly an hour and a half of deliberation, marks nearly six years since Esparza filed his original product liability lawsuit. His claims initially targeted Vons Cos. Inc., citing manufacturing defects, design flaws, negligence, failure to warn, and breach of implied warranties. The lawsuit was later amended in 2022 to include other companies, including Conagra. Throughout the case, some defendants either settled or were dismissed.
Esparza claimed that the PAM sprays contained both natural and artificial butter flavorings designed to provide a buttery taste and aroma. However, the sprays also contained diacetyl, a chemical that can become hazardous when aerosolized and heated. According to medical studies, inhaling diacetyl can cause severe respiratory issues, including bronchiolitis obliterans, sometimes referred to as “popcorn lung.”
Esparza reportedly used the PAM spray multiple times a day on heated frying pans in his home kitchen, which became the basis for the jury’s consideration. The trial ultimately focused on Conagra as the remaining defendant.
Conagra had filed a motion for a directed verdict, arguing that Esparza failed to present sufficient evidence that diacetyl levels from normal home use could cause the disease. The company also cited internal testing from 2007 showing only trace concentrations of diacetyl in the sprays. Conagra emphasized that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recognized diacetyl as safe for food use and pointed to the lack of scientific studies linking typical consumer use of PAM to lung injury.
Conagra additionally noted that Esparza is the only person to claim the spray caused his illness and highlighted other potential causes of his bronchiolitis obliterans, including medical history factors. By 2009, Conagra had already reformulated the sprays to remove diacetyl as suppliers phased out the ingredient, and the company claimed it had no prior knowledge of risks from small consumer exposures.
Esparza opposed the motion, urging the court to let the jury determine the case, pointing to evidence that repeated inhalation of aerosolized PAM could be a substantial contributing factor. He emphasized that internal company documents from as early as 2004 required employees to use breathing protection when handling the spray due to diacetyl hazards.
“The jury saw through decades of corporate wrongdoing and awarded the largest consumer verdict ever in a diacetyl lung injury case, more than triple the previous record and the first of its kind against Conagra for a consumer product,” said Esparza’s attorneys Jacob Plattenberger and Alan Holcomb of TorHoerman Law. “No individual or family using PAM in their own kitchens should ever have to sacrifice their health for corporate profits, especially without proper warning of the product’s dangers.”
Conagra issued a statement expressing disagreement with the verdict: “We disagree with and are disappointed with the jury’s verdict. PAM Butter Flavor cooking spray is safe and has been diacetyl-free for nearly two decades. We intend to pursue all available legal avenues to contest the verdict.”
Esparza now faces a challenging prognosis, reportedly requiring a double lung transplant due to the severity of his condition.
Case Reference: Roland Esparza v. Conagra Brands Inc. et al., Case No. 20STCV37014, Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles.
Discussion
No comments yet. Be the first to join the discussion!
FOLLOW US
Recent Posts
New York Chaos Erupts After Knicks Win NBA Championship After…
At least 1 dead, 10 injured in Texas shooting; suspect…
Tren The Aragua Reportedly Killed: Kinetic Diplomacy and the Death…
The Single Developer Revolution: How AI Models Are Disrupting Traditional…
‘Manipulated’ Tyra Banks Sues Netflix
US Crushes Paraguay 4-1 in Opener
U.S. Forces Anthropic Shutdown
Don’t Miss It
Behind The Walls A Public Figure Confronts Private Reality
By – Tyler BrooksThe Reckoning Of An Industry Icon As Taylor Swift Claims Her Throne In The Songwriters Hall Of Fame
By – Tyler BrooksBill Ritter Steps Down from ABC7 Eyewitness News Anchor Chair Following Alzheimer Diagnosis
By – Tyler BrooksFederal Ruling Shifts Legal Landscape in High Profile Hollywood Dispute Between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni
By – Tyler BrooksElon Musk Triggers The Two Trillion Dollar Reckoning As SpaceX Market Entry Shakes The Foundation Of Global Finance
By – Tyler BrooksShrinking Global Pipeline Threatens Financial Stability and Academic Diversity at American Law Schools
By – Tyler BrooksPentagon Declassifies Intelligence Files Detailing Sustained Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Sightings Across the Northeast United States
By – Tyler BrooksCommerce Department Order Forces Anthropic to Suspend Advanced AI Models Amid National Security Concerns
By – Tyler Brooks
Kelly Warner Law Firm Blames USA…
In what appears as a desperate attempt to defend multiple…
By – USA Herald
Aaron Kelly Law Firm Resorts To…
Attorney Aaron Kelly and his law partner Daniel Warner are…
By – Jeff Watterson
Arizona Bar Opens Investigation on Attorney…
USA Herald recently reported on a developing story involving Attorneys…
By – Paul O'Neal
New York Knicks End 53-Year Championship…
The New York Knicks have finally climbed back to the…
By – Jackie Allen
Paramount and Warner Brothers Merger Approved…
The proposed Paramount and Warner Brothers Merger has cleared a…
By – Jackie Allen
David Geffen Reunites With Ex-Husband Aboard…
David Geffen is making headlines again after being spotted spending…
By – Jackie Allen
Me Too Fallout Deepens as French…
The Me Too movement continues to reshape France’s entertainment industry…
By – Jackie Allen
Iran Agreed to US Demands: Trump…
In a major diplomatic development, Iran Agreed to US Demands,…
By – Jackie Allen
Steven Spielberg’s Long-Awaited Alien Thriller ‘Disclosure…
Steven Spielberg, one of the greatest living filmmakers and a…
By – Rachel Moore
Steven Spielberg’s Long-Awaited Alien Thriller ‘Disclosure…
Steven Spielberg, one of the greatest living filmmakers and a…
By – Rachel Moore
Massive Blaze Engulfs Major Medical Supply…
A raging inferno erupted Thursday afternoon at a large medical…
By – Rachel Moore
Mysterious “8647” Giant Etching Appears on…
U.S. federal authorities are scrambling to investigate a bizarre and…
By – Rachel Moore
Chicago Bracing for Round Two: Moderate…
Just as Chicago-area residents were beginning to clean up debris…
By – Rihem Akkouche
Minnesota Assassin Spares Himself the Death…
Vance Boelter, the man accused of carrying out a brutal…
By – Rihem Akkouche
Judge Drops Bombshell Warning to Trump…
A federal judge on Wednesday refused to immediately block the…
By – Rihem AkkoucheThe Me Too movement continues to reshape the entertainment industry…
By – Jackie Allen
Fatal Accident in Tulsa: Oklahoma Father…
A Fatal Accident in Tulsa that claimed the life of…
By – Jackie Allen
“You’re Killing Me” Brings Brooke Shields…
“You’re Killing Me” is one of Acorn TV’s newest mystery…
By – Jackie Allen
Karmelo Anthony Sentenced to 35 Years…
The case of Karmelo Anthony has drawn widespread attention across…
By – Jackie Allen
Trust Fund Battle Emerges in Rob…
The legal fight over a trust fund established by filmmaker…
By – Jackie Allen
OpenAI Moves Toward Historic IPO as…
OpenAI, the company behind the wildly popular ChatGPT chatbot, has…
By – Jackie Allen
OpenAI Moves Toward Historic IPO as…
OpenAI, the company behind the wildly popular ChatGPT chatbot, has…
By – Jackie Allen
New York Knicks NBA Finals Game…
The New York Knicks took center stage during Game 3…
By – Jackie Allen
Cockroach Kingpin Busted: More Than 100,000…
A suspected “Cockroach Kingpin” has been caught in what authorities…
By – Jackie Allen
Skywatchers Events June 2026
Several meteor showers remain active throughout June. Skywatchers events also…
By – Jackie Allen
Sky Tonight App Highlights June 2026’s…
The Sky Tonight App is helping skywatchers make the most…
By – Jackie Allen
Domestic Violence Deaths Remain High as…
Domestic Violence continues to claim lives across the United States…
By – Jackie Allen
Higher Education System Failure As Elite…
The numbers are officially in and they represent a catastrophic…
By – Tyler Brooks
Elon Musk Executes Radical Strategy To…
The global semiconductor industry is bracing for a total systemic…
By – Tyler Brooks
The Reckoning Of Government Secrets As…
A violent storm is gathering in the halls of Washington.…
By – Tyler Brooks
The Wall Street: How An Outsider…
The ivory tower of high finance is under siege. For…
By – Tyler Brooks
The Streaming War: Paramount Unleashes Legal…
Paramount Declares All-Out War Against Netflix Over Alleged Scorched Earth…
By – Tyler Brooks
The Bombshell War: Three Infiltrators Detonate…
The Fijian villa will never be the same. In one…
By – Tyler Brooks
Nichelle Nichols’ Final Mission Ends in…
By Samuel López | USA Herald The woman who helped…
By – Samuel Lopez
Cannabis Giants Hit with Sweeping Class…
A major class action filed May 4, 2026, accuses five…
By – Samuel Lopez
New Pill Doubles Survival for Pancreatic…
Pancreatic cancer pill doubles life to 13 months By Tyler…
By – Tyler Brooks
FDA warns public as cookie firm…
FDA warns public as cookie firm rejects urgent recall request…
By – Tyler Brooks
Trump orders CDC to slash childhood…
Trump orders CDC to slash childhood vaccines from 17 to…
By – Tyler Brooks
USDA warns Americans over Salmonella in…
USDA warns Americans over Salmonella in meat products By Tylor…
By – Tyler Brooks
Mexico vs South Africa World Cup…
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is officially underway, but the…
By – Rihem Akkouche
FIFA World Cup 2026: Gianni Infantino…
The countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2026 has transformed…
By – Tyler Brooks
The Halfway House Showdown: Convicted Serial…
Justice. Accountability. Public Safety. For the survivors who faced Darren…
By – Tyler Brooks
Chinese Company Blocked from Claiming Olympic…
By Samuel López | USA Herald The Olympic rings are…
By – Samuel Lopez
Lawsuit Aims to Knock Out Trump’s…
By Samuel López | USA Herald The fight may not…
By – Samuel Lopez
2026 Stanley Cup Final Game 2:…
2026 Stanley Cup Final Game 2: A Thrilling Comeback The…
By – Tyler BrooksNo posts found.
No posts found.
