MIAMI, Florida (ENS) — --> Lead counsel Don Russo of Don Russo, P.A., and lawyers with Holland & Hart Wednesday obtained an award of $113.48 million on behalf of 27 Costa Rican leatherleaf fern farmers in a lawsuit against E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co.

The lawsuit brought against DuPont proved that its fungicide, Benlate(R), permanently damaged the farmers' crops of leatherleaf fern, used in floral arrangements.

Plaintiffs' attorneys worked with the country's leading agronomists and biologists and invested $8.5 million in their investigation into the true cause of crop damage.

Russo says the new scientific evidence discovered and presented in this case may initiate a new round of cases against DuPont.