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The criminal proceedings in Turin against the former heads of asbestos giant Eternit (as previously reported here) have taken a new turn. A civil case has been linked to the criminal trial and both the European Union (EU) and the Italian Government have been named as civil defendants. It has been reported that 4,000 people have asked to join the case as plaintiffs, and 3,000 people are due to give evidence. 

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Read More Italy: Italian Government and EU are Named as Defendants in Eternit Asbestos Proceeding

The UK’s Asbestos Working Party (AWP) has published its revised projection of the cost to employers’ liability insurers of the UK’s asbestos liability problem. The AWP has modelled “alternative scenarios” that suggest the cost of future claims will be between about £5 billion and over £20 billion for the period 2009 to 2050. …
Read More UK: Revised Estimate Says Asbestos-related Liability will Cost UK Insurers Over £11bn by 2050

The Scottish Court has upheld legislation that maintains the right to compensation for pleural plaques sufferers in Scotland. In 2007, the House of Lords ruled that pleural plaques sufferers had no legal right to compensation as the “damage” was insufficient to be actionable in English law. 

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Read More UK: Scottish Court Rejects Insurers’ Challenge Over Compensation for Pleural Plaques

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia recently held that an insurer had a duty to defend under a CGL policy and umbrella policy against claims relating to a hotel guest’s alleged contraction of Legionnaire’s Disease from a dirty hot tub. …
Read More Georgia Federal District Court Finds that Hot Tub Water is “Intended for Bodily Consumption”

In Sienkiewicz v Greif (UK) Ltd, the Court of Appeal considered the combined effect of the House of Lords’ decisions in Fairchild v Glenhaven Funeral Services and Barker v Corus and section 3 of the Compensation Act 2006 on liability for mesothelioma claims. …
Read More UK: Court of Appeal Decision Demonstrates the Wide Applicability of the “Fairchild” Exception for Mesothelioma Claims

The Insurance and Reinsurance Department of Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge invites you to join them for “Up Against A Chinese Drywall:  Recent Developments in the Ongoing Products Liability and Coverage Litigation” – a complimentary 60 minute webinar to be held Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 12:00pm EDT / 4:00pm GMT. 

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Read More EAPD WEBINAR: Up Against a Chinese Drywall – Recent Developments in the Ongoing Products Liability and Coverage Litigation

The Insurance and Reinsurance Department of Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge invites you to join them for “Up Against A Chinese Drywall:  Recent Developments in the Ongoing Products Liability and Coverage Litigation” – a complimentary 60 minute webinar to be held Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 12:00pm EDT / 4:00pm GMT. 

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Read More EAPD WEBINAR: Up Against a Chinese Drywall – Recent Developments in the Ongoing Products Liability and Coverage Litigation

Earlier this month, a California appellate court held that the government contractor immunity defense applies to a boiler manufactured to United States Navy specifications, shielding the manufacturer from a design defect claim. …
Read More California Appellate Court Applies Government Contractor Immunity Defense to Boilers on Naval Vessels in Asbestos-Related Decision