Global chemicals major Dow Chemicals Company got a shot in the arm with a ruling of the Michigan Supreme Court on July 13, 2005. A lawsuit filed by residents of areas along the Tittabawassee river near Dow's plant, where high levels of dioxins have been found, demanded a medical monitoring trust fund by Dow to pay for tests of dioxin-linked health problems. But the court ruled that Dow needn't comply.

The industry welcomed the ruling. It argues that medical monitoring would encourage frivolous lawsuits and be very expensive too.