Italy's top court has ruled that a businessman developed a benign brain tumor because he held a cell phone to his ear for hours daily for his job and deserves worker's compensation.

Innocente Marcolini, whose face is partially paralyzed, argued that using cell and portable phones six hours a day for 12 years while dealing with clients in China and elsewhere overseas caused the tumor on the trigeminal nerve in his head.

His lawyers presented doctors who testified that excessive cell phone use increases risk of such tumors.

The impact of the ruling earlier this week is unclear. Numerous large scientific studies have failed to find a causal link between cell phones and brain tumors. The World Health Organization classifies cell phones as "possible" carcinogens, in the same category as pesticides and coffee.