Mealey's Asbestos Bankruptcy
Jury Returns Verdict Of $7,024,000 In Buffalo Asbestos Trial
BUFFALO, N.Y. — A New York jury on Sept. 14 awarded $7,024,000 in a man's mesothelioma case alleging exposure to asbestos in valves, sources told Mealey Publications (James Stock Jr. v. Air & Liquid Systems Corp., et al., No. 807846/2017, N.Y. Sup., Erie Co.).
California Jury Can't Reach Verdict In Latest Asbestos-Talc Case
LOS ANGELES — A California judge presiding over the latest trial featuring claims of asbestos-tainted Johnson & Johnson baby powder declared a mistrial on Sept. 24 after the jury informed her that it was deadlocked and could not reach a verdict, sources told Mealey Publications (Carolyn Weirick v. Brenntag North America, et al., No. BC656425, Calif. Super., Los Angeles Co.) VIDEO FROM THE TRIAL IS AVAILABLE.
Bankruptcy Judge Delays Hearing For Chapter 11 Dismissal Bid
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina federal bankruptcy judge on Sept. 14 postponed a hearing on asbestos claimants' request to dismiss the Chapter 11 case of Georgia-Pacific affiliate Bestwall LLC to give her the "significant amount of time" needed to hear the dispute (In re Bestwall LLC, No. 17-31795, W.D. N.C. Bkcy.).
Placing Limits On Access To Asbestos Trust Data Proper, 3rd Circuit Told
PHILADELPHIA — A federal bankruptcy court did not abuse its discretion in placing limits on how Ford Motor Co. and Honeywell International Inc. can use asbestos claimants' information from nine bankruptcy trusts, the committees that oversee the trusts tell the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in a Sept. 21 appellee brief (In re: AC&S, Inc., et al., No. 18-1951, 3rd Cir.).
John Crane's Fraud, RICO Suit Against Law Firm Dismissed
PHILADELPHIA — A Pennsylvania federal judge on Sept. 10 dismissed John Crane Inc.'s fraud allegations against an asbestos plaintiffs' law firm after the parties said they reached an undisclosed settlement in principle (John Crane Inc. v. Shein Law Center Ltd., et al., No. 2:17-cv-02210, E.D. Pa.).
Judge Affirms $3.5 Million Award To Asbestos Trust Against Fire Brick Insurer
OAKLAND, Calif. — A California federal bankruptcy judge properly entered a more than $3.5 million judgment against an insurance company in a long-running dispute over the amount of coverage owed to a company's liquidating trust for asbestos personal injury claims, a federal judge held Sept. 17 in affirming the award, plus a $60,000 penalty for the insurer's "vexatious and unreasonable conduct" (Continental Casualty Company v. Barry A. Chatz, Nos. 17-cv-05281, 17-cv-06989, N.D. Calif., 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 158352).
Federal Judge Sides With W.R. Grace In Refund Dispute With IRS
WILMINGTON, Del. — A Delaware federal judge on Sept. 17 affirmed a bankruptcy court's finding that the interest rate in the reorganization plan for former Chapter 11 debtor W.R. Grace & Co. must be used when determining how much the Internal Revenue Service owes the company for a tax refund (United States v. W.R. Grace & Co., et al., No. 17-cv-1588, D. Del., 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157895).
United States: Medicare Repayment Must Be Part Of Debtor's Asbestos Trust
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Chapter 11 debtor Kaiser Gypsum Co. on Sept. 13 sought approval of its reorganization plan's disclosure statement on the same day the United States filed a statement in interest in the case, saying it will oppose any plan for the debtor that does not include provisions to ensure that asbestos disease claimants who receive payments from an asbestos trust repay Medicare for their medical care (In re Kaiser Gypsum Company, Inc., et al., No. 16-31602, W.D. N.C. Bkcy.).
New York Court Affirms Increased Asbestos Award For Past Pain And Suffering
NEW YORK — A trial court properly granted a new trial on past pain and suffering damages unless the defendant agrees to a $4 million award, but the $1.5 million award for future damages did not exceed what was reasonable and should not have been increased, a New York appellate court held Sept. 13 (In re New York City Asbestos Litigation, Ann Marie Idell, etc. v. Aerco International Inc., et al., No. 190219/16 -6938 6937 6936, N.Y. Sup., App. Div., 1st Dept., 2018 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 6018).
Claimant Says 3rd Circuit Ruling On W.R. Grace Insurer Liability Affects Her Case
WILMINGTON, Del. — A recent Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals remand ruling seeking Delaware federal bankruptcy court decisions on what asbestos claims, if any, insurers of former Chapter 11 debtor W.R. Grace & Co. are liable for needs to be addressed in a similar action alleging negligence against the insurers, the plaintiff in that action tells the bankruptcy court in a Sept. 10 brief filed at the request of the court (In re: W.R. Grace & Co., et al., No. 01-01139, D. Del. Bkcy.).
Asbestos Claims Send Sheet Metal Company Into Chapter 11
TRENTON, N.J. — Family-owned sheet metal equipment company Duro Dyne National Corp. sought Chapter 11 protection on Sept. 7 in New Jersey federal bankruptcy court to shed the business of its asbestos personal injury claims while remaining operational (In re: Duro Dyne National Corp., et al., No. 18-27968, D. N.J. Bkcy.).
California Jury Pins $8.45M Asbestos Verdict, 60 Percent Liability On Weil-McLain
LOS ANGELES — A California jury awarded $8.45 million in an asbestos case against boiler company Weil-McLain on Aug. 28, sources told Mealey Publications (Shawn Swanson, et al. v. Weil-McLain, et al., No. BC571451, Calif. Super., Los Angeles Co.).
Alameda County Jury Returns $1,117,446 Verdict In Asbestos-Pipe Case
OAKLAND, Calif. — A California jury on Aug. 14 awarded $1,117,446, and though it found the defendant not negligent, it did find the company's asbestos-containing pipe defective and that the company should have known of the risk (Carolyn B. Hopper, et al. v. California Department of Water Resources, et al., No. RG16815417, Calif. Super., Alameda Co.).
Appeals By Bankrupt Boiler Company's Insurers Proceed Without U.S. Trustee
TACOMA, Wash. — The U.S. trustee's office for the Western District of Washington made clear in a Sept. 4 letter to the court that it is not participating in two appeals filed by nonsettling insurers in the Chapter 11 case of Fraser's Boiler Service Inc., saying it is not a proper appellee (In re: Fraser's Boiler Service, Inc., Nos. 3:18-cv-05637 and 3:18-cv-05638, W.D. Wash.).
Kaiser Gypsum Judge Lifts Stay So Asbestos Cases Can Continue In Courts
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A North Carolina federal bankruptcy judge on Aug. 9 approved lifting the automatic stay in Kaiser Gypsum Co.'s Chapter 11 case to allow some asbestos claimants to pursue their claims in the tort system (In re Kaiser Gypsum Company, Inc., et al., No. 16-31602, W.D. N.C. Bkcy.).
Manville, Thorpe Trusts Argue For Judgment In Row Over Indemnification Claims
NEW YORK — Two asbestos personal injury trusts took their last jabs Aug. 15 in New York federal bankruptcy court in their bids for judgment on the question of whether one trust, as successor to an asbestos products distributor, is entitled to be reimbursed millions of dollars by another trust set up by a former asbestos products producer (Manville Personal Injury Settlement Trust v. Thorpe Insulation Company Asbestos Settlement Trust, No. 1:17-ap-1186, S.D. N.Y. Bkcy.).
Judge Snuffs Insurer's Appeal Attempt For Denial Of Chapter 7 Conversion
TACOMA, Wash. — A Washington federal judge on Aug. 20 backed a bankruptcy court's decision not to convert Fraser's Boiler Service Inc.'s recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy to a Chapter 7 case, denying an insurer's motion to appeal the ruling because it will not "materially advance" the case (Travelers Indemnity Company v. Fraser's Boiler Service, Inc., No. 18-5489, W.D. Wash.).
Boiler Company, Claimants, Insurers Set For 1-Day Mediation In Stalled Case
CHICAGO — Chapter 11 debtor Oakfabco Inc. got a requested one-day mediation session to resolve disputes with insurers when an Illinois federal bankruptcy judge on Aug. 15 approved the meeting after previously accusing counsel for the debtor and asbestos claimants of conducting "unnecessary and frivolous litigation" (In re: Oakfabco, Inc., No. 15-27062, N.D. Ill. Bkcy.).
Ford, Honeywell Say Court Erred In Limiting Access To Asbestos Trust Data
PHILADELPHIA — Ford Motor Co. and Honeywell International Inc. are continuing their fight to have unlimited access to asbestos claimants' data from nine asbestos trusts, saying in a July 31 opening brief in the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals that a bankruptcy court ruling conflicts with the U.S. Bankruptcy Code (In re: AC&S, Inc., et al., No. 18-1951, 3rd Cir.).
Insurer Loses Bid For Arbitration With Garlock In Coverage Lawsuit
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — An insurer's obligations to the Garlock Sealing Technologies LLC bankruptcy estate under a $5 million asbestos policy must be determined through litigation, not arbitration, a North Carolina federal judge decided Aug. 20 in affirming a magistrate judge's ruling (Safety National Casualty Corp. v. Garlock Sealing Technologies LLC, et al., No. 3:17-cv-00458, W.D. N.C.).
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