Asbestos Litigation

📖 The Scoop

Annotation Asbestos, used in many industrial processes because of its fire-retardant properties, can cause a number of injuries when inhaled including impaired lung function and a fatal, incurable cancer called mesothelioma. The number of asbestos claims filed annually, the number and types of firms named as defendants in asbestos litigation, and the costs of the litigation to those defendants have all risen sharply in recent years. The authors analyze the costs and compensation paid for asbestos personal-injury claims and discuss such issues as the current state of asbestos litigation in the United States, the costs of compensation, the effects of litigation on businesses, and the evolving character of litigation. Building on the findings published in two interim reports, the authors include results of new analysis on jury verdicts and epidemiological trends and update some of the data published previously from 2000 to 2002. The authors conclude with a discussion of policy alternatives to the current system.

Genre: Law / Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice (fancy, right?)