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Ill. federal judge calls asbestos plaintiff's arguments 'unconvincing'
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - An Illinois federal judge has denied a plaintiff's motion to remand an asbestos lawsuit, finding that her arguments were "unconvincing."
Pfizer wins third case over subsidiary's asbestos-containing product
BALTIMORE (Legal Newsline) - Pfizer was recently granted summary judgment in an asbestos lawsuit alleging it should be held liable as an apparent company for a product manufactured by its subsidiary Quigley Company, Inc.
Judge rules asbestos plaintiffs' false representation/fraud claims weak
ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - A North Carolina federal court granted dismissal of false representation/fraud claims for eight defendants in an asbestos lawsuit based on the plaintiffs' poor arguments and failure to support their allegations.
Ninth Circuit will let asbestos plaintiffs amend previously dismissed complaint
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has reversed a California federal court's decision denying an asbestos plaintiff's request to amend his complaint.
N.Y. jury awards two plaintiffs $25M in asbestos trial
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - A New York jury recently entered a $25 million verdict against Crane Company and in favor of two electricians in a consolidated asbestos trial.
Navy asbestos case remanded for insufficient evidence on warning specifications
CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) - A Chicago federal judge has remanded an asbestos case brought by a former Navy serviceman on the grounds that a valve manufacturer failed to provided sufficient evidence showing the Navy made specific requirements regarding warnings.
Remand for Navy asbestos case denied based on federal contractor defense
CHICAGO (Legal Newsline) - An Illinois federal court denied a former U.S. Navy serviceman's motion to remand based on sufficient evidence supporting the defendant's federal contactor defense.
Asbestos claimant not allowed to enter new evidence after mistrial
SEATTLE (Legal Newsline) - After an asbestos case ended in a mistrial, a woman alleging her husband developed mesothelioma from "hot tops" in a steel mill was denied reconsideration of an excluded study from the first trial for failing to provide any new evidence.
Meso case allowed despite previous agreement releasing company from future liability
JACKSON, Tenn. (Legal Newsline) - A Tennessee appeals court held that a mesothelioma lawsuit was proper despite an agreement reached between a railroad company and its employee releasing it from liability of all past and future personal injury claims while settling an asbestosis case in 2002.
Miss. SC concludes trial judge improperly influenced jury on punitive damages award
JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - The Supreme Court of Mississippi has remanded an asbestos lawsuit, ruling the punitive damages award was improper because the trial judge influenced the jury when he asked them to clarify their verdict.
Simmons law firm and Hanly Conroy to merge in July
ALTON, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - Asbestos law firm Simmons, Browder, Gianaris, Angelides & Barnerd LLC is merging with the New York law firm Hanly, Conroy, Bierstein, Sheridan, Fisher & Hayes LLP next month, meaning the new firm will have offices stretching from the west coast to the east coast.
Asbestos attorney Mismas suspended over sexually explicit text messages
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) - Asbestos plaintiffs attorney John Daniel Mismas of the Mismas Law Firm has been suspended from practicing law in the state of Ohio after he was found to have sent sexually explicit and inappropriate text messages to a law student employed with his firm in December 2011.
Attorneys address Garlock ruling's impact on asbestos defense attorneys
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - Six months after the Garlock Sealing Technologies bankruptcy decision shook the ground in the asbestos tort system by revealing plaintiffs attorneys who were ruled to have withheld information in an effort to reach higher payouts, two defense attorneys have published an article in For The Defense addressing how important they feel the bankruptcy ruling is for asbestos
NYCAL Special Master excludes case alleging asbestos exposure from South Africa
NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - Special Master Shelley Rossoff Olsen made two recommendations regarding which cases would be included in the New York County Asbestos Litigation's docket, approving one and denying the other.
Duty to warn extended to nephew in Calif. asbestos case, court rules
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - A California appeals court has held that a company's duty to warn of asbestos dangers extended to an employee's nephew who developed mesothelioma - despite all other defendants in the case being the nephew's own employers, where he was exposed to asbestos occupationally.
Article by asbestos defense attorneys rejects asbestos third-party duty-to-warn liability
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Legal Newsline) - In an article for the American Journal of Trial Advocacy, two asbestos defense attorneys from Shook, Hardy & Bacon addressed concerns about what they say is a growing trend of plaintiffs' attorneys attempting to impose duty to warn liability for asbestos-containing products manufactured by third-party companies.
Fifth Circuit declines to create 'new rule' in asbestos case over bar date
NEW ORLEANS (Legal Newsline) - A federal appeals court has affirmed a bankrupt company's request for summary judgment, arguing the asbestos claim filed against Placid Oil Company was discharged as claimants were given sufficient notice of the 1987 bar date.
Fresno jury awards first mesothelioma verdict, $10.9M against Honeywell/Bendix
FRESNO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - A Fresno County jury entered a $10.9 million verdict in favor of a deceased plumber in an asbestos lawsuit, becoming the first mesothelioma verdict ever awarded in the Fresno County Superior Court.
Madison County deemed appropriate jurisidiction in asbestos cases
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (Legal Newsline) - A Madison County, Ill., asbestos judge denied several defendants' motions to dismiss based on the forum non conveniens doctrine, arguing the defendants failed to sufficiently argue that Illinois is inconvenient for all parties involved.
Garlock submits Amended Plan of Reorganization in bankruptcy proceeding
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - Garlock Sealing Technologies filed its Amended Plan of Reorganization in its bankruptcy proceeding on Thursday, addressing concerns from the official Committee of Asbestos Personal Injury Claimants about payment plans.