26th May 2005 - Texas Governor Signs Asbestos Reform Legislation into Law

Last week the Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, has signed into law Senate Bill 15, a landmark Asbestos Litigation Reform Bill.

"I am proud to sign Senate Bill 15 into law because it ensures that every person made sick by asbestos exposure has their day in court while reducing the junk lawsuits that have forced dozens of innocent employers into bankruptcy," Perry said.

The author of Senate Bill 15, Sen. Kyle Janek, and the House sponsor, Rep. Joe Nixon, are responsible for pushing this historic legislation through their respective chambers.

Texas has become the national haven for questionable and frivolous asbestos lawsuits with an estimated 40 percent of all of the nation's asbestos claims being filed in Texas courts.  Many of the cases had little, if any, connection to Texas.

"While trial lawyers have reaped millions in fees, asbestos victims with legitimate claims have had justice delayed and denied by the backlog of cases at the courthouse," Perry said. "With Senate Bill 15, asbestos lawsuits in Texas can only be brought by those individuals who show legitimate illness or impairment."

"For too long, trial lawyers looking to get rich quick have played the asbestos lawsuit lottery by filing claims on behalf of individuals who are not, and in some cases never will, become ill as a result of asbestos exposure," Perry said. "Asbestos manufacturers that misled Americans were driven out of business decades ago. Today's lawsuits are often brought against employers with only a remote connection, if any, to the harm alleged by plaintiffs."

Source: Various Sources