Alliance Applauds Introduction of Rep. Cannon’s Asbestos Bill

The Alliance of American Insurers applauds Rep. Chris Cannon’s (R-Utah) introduction of the “Asbestos Compensation Fairness Act of 2003 ” (H.R. 1586), which would provide for fair and efficient judicial consideration of claims arising out of asbestos exposure, and would ensure that individuals who suffer impairment – now or in the future – from asbestos-related illnesses receive compensation for their injuries.

Kenneth D. Schloman, Alliance Washington counsel, said: “The Alliance of American Insurers is encouraged by the progress being made in Congress to resolve the asbestos crisis as quickly as possible, and we believe Rep. Cannon’s common-sense bill is a solid step forward in this debate.

“The current litigious environment actually harms those who are sick, denying them the compensation they deserve, while doing severe damage to our economy and clogging our courts with merit-less cases.

“The Alliance supports a number of provisions in the Cannon legislation: ending forum shopping and mass consolidations; compensating genuine victims; applying proportional liability; and protecting innocent retailers and distributors.”

The Cannon plan would provide certainty by utilizing objective medical criteria, protect American taxpayers by not creating a new bureaucracy, and extend the statute of limitations so that claimants would no longer be forced to file premature lawsuits in order to protect their claim.