Business hopes new Bill will halt asbestos lawsuits
Publish date: 12 November 2004
Issue Number: 1216
Diary: Legalbrief Today
Category: Labour
Business leaders in the US have been given hope that decades of asbestos litigation will finally come to an end.
President George W Bush mentioned after being re-elected tort reform was one of his priorities. A meeting is also expected to take place soon in Washington to negotiate a revised settlement of a proposed $140bn trust fund for victims. Lobbyists are increasingly confident that Republican gains in the Senate will allow the passage of a new Bill next year, reports the Financial Times. A stronger Republican majority in the Senate should help overcome resistance from Democrats who fear that aspects of trust fund solution would undermine the rights of people exposed to asbestos. Full report in the Financial Times
