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Thursday, June 20, 2013

Making The Path More Difficult for Asbestos Victims

The House Judiciary Committee has marked-up and passed legislation that will make it more difficult for asbestos victims to obtain benefits. Ironically these perennial legislative efforts make it more difficult  for those who served the US in various capacities, including military service.


The legislation, entitled, Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act (FACT) of 2013, allows asbestos companies and their insurers to go on a fishing expedition, to make it more difficult to obtain even reduced benefit payments. 

The NY Times, in an Editorial, wrote, "The bill would also increase the burden on claimants to supply information. But it puts virtually no burdens on asbestos companies, like disclosing the settlements they have reached with plaintiffs or requiring them to reveal where their products were used and when, so that workers know which companies or trusts might be liable for their injuries."