French Asbestos Verdict Comps Miners
Tuesday, October 26th, 2004 Liability LitigationA French administrative court under the jurisdiction of the national health service has ordered the owners of an abandoned asbestos mine in Corsica to pay compensation to 13 former miners and their families as a result of asbestos related diseases they contracted while working in the mine. The court, which determined that the mine owners were guilty of "inexcusable negligence," ordered a total of 1.5 million euros ($1.92 million) in compensation. While not large by U.S. standards, where the median verdict in asbestos cases is around $1 million, it represents the first time that a French court has found culpable negligence on the part of asbestos producers, and the first time one has awarded significant damages. The awards range from 90,000 euros ($115,200) for individual claimants to 200,000 euros ($256,000) for the families of deceased victims.
