Merchant marine seamen who were exposed to asbestos but suffered no physical impairments do not have cognizable product liability claims against ship owners, asbestos manufacturers, and railroad companies under maritime law, the court presiding over multidistrict litigation in Pennsylvania held Aug. 13.
Judge Eduardo C. Robreno of the U.S. District Court for the District of Pennsylvania dismissed 1,679 cases of seamen who manifested only pleural changes, such as non-detrimental scarring and thickening of the lung tissue, finding that these plaintiffs had not suffered an “injury” under maritime law. Economic harms without personal injury are non-cognizable in the maritime context, the ...
Learn more about Bloomberg Law or Log In to keep reading:
See Breaking News in Context
Bloomberg Law provides trusted coverage of current events enhanced with legal analysis.
Already a subscriber?
Log in to keep reading or access research tools and resources.