Governor signs asbestos lawsuit legislation

New legislation signed into law by Governor Sonny Perdue today is meant to give those suffering most from asbestos-related health problems, priority in their lawsuits. Trial lawyers handling those cases say it doesn’t go far enough.

This legislation is a re-working of one passed in the General Assembly two years ago. However, aspects of that law were rejected by the Georgia Supreme Court. The bill's sponsor, Senator John Wiles of Marietta, said this version was a compromise with trail lawyers and the industry to ensure those plantiffs who prove impairment from asbestos, go to the front of the legal-line.

Clint Sitton is a lawyer who has handled asbestos cases for 22 years and spoke to the Senate Judiciary Committee on the bill. He called this legislation the most convoluted he’s ever seen. He said the law should have simple medical criteria that can be followed to process cases. Sitton says instead, "the bill goes through machinations where, depending on the date a case arises, or cause of action arises, a different set of circumstances will apply. For that reason, I don’t think its going to pass constitutional muster”

Sitton expects the state Supreme Court again to step-in, with the process eventually going back to square-one.