Mesothelioma Lawyers prepare new wave of asbestos litigation

Mesothelioma lawyers are launching a fresh wave of claims against companies responsible for mesothelioma (cancer of the membranes in the lungs) and related illnesses such as asbestosis (scarring of the lung tissue). Mesothelioma recently claimed the life of Warren Zevon. These are the biggest cause of insurance payouts in history and has already cost the insurance industry some 200 Billion US Dollars globally according to an recent article in The Telegraph, Asbestos claims dust will take years to settle.

Decades after the event, insurers and reinsurers around the world are having to bump up their asbestos reserves as the rampant litigation activity shows little sign of abating. In June, Equitas, the vehicle created to take over the liabilities that brought Lloyd's of London to its knees, increased its reserves for asbestos claims for the third time.

Even this will not be enough: last week, the world's three largest credit rating agencies warned that insurers will have to increase their reserves further.

According to the article specialist mesothelioma lawyers are pulling together groups of clients to form class action lawsuits and targeting not just asbestos product manufacturers but those involved in distribution, transportation and others hoping to benefit from large mesothelioma settlements.

More background to mesothelioma asbestos induced cancer is in The cancer business in Tuesday's Guardian. The author explains that while asbestos is banned across most of the EU at least some countries continue to mine and market asbestos including Russia, China and Zimbabwe contributing to a huge worldwide industry. The risks of asbestos rlated cancers, mesothelioma and asbestosis in the devloping world is much larger than the problems currently facing the EU and US.

So presumably our next export to the developing world is our specialist mesothelioma lawyers...

Posted by Paul at September 25, 2003 02:21 AM |