Amended PreTrial Order No. 9 - HB Litigation Conferences
Amended PreTrial Order No. 9 - HB Litigation Conferences
Amended PreTrial Order No. 9 - HB Litigation Conferences
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MASSACHUSETTS<br />
ASBESTOS LITIGATION
Important Massachusetts Numbers
Important Massachusetts Numbers
Trends in the Docket
Trends by Disease
!! In effect since 2006<br />
!! Same year the Big Dig<br />
was completed<br />
!! 46 pages long<br />
!! Controls<br />
!! Docket<br />
!! Discovery<br />
<strong>PreTrial</strong> <strong>Order</strong> <strong>No</strong>. 9<br />
Original Version<br />
!! <strong>PreTrial</strong> Preparation<br />
Schedule
!! Docket<br />
<strong>PreTrial</strong> <strong>Order</strong> <strong>No</strong>. 9<br />
Original Version<br />
!! Standardized Pleading<br />
!! Inactive Asbestos Docket<br />
!! <strong>No</strong>mination of Exigent Cases for Expedited Trial<br />
!! Three Year Time Standard for all Cases
<strong>PreTrial</strong> <strong>Order</strong> <strong>No</strong>. 9<br />
Original Version<br />
!! Discovery by Plaintiffs<br />
!! Standard Discovery Responses<br />
!! Plaintiffs Disclosure Form<br />
!! Standard Interrogatories and Requests for Production<br />
!! Supplemental Discovery Requests<br />
!! Efforts to revise and consolidate<br />
!! Plaintiff / Coworker Depositions
<strong>PreTrial</strong> <strong>Order</strong> <strong>No</strong>. 9<br />
Original Version<br />
!! Discovery by Defendants<br />
!! Revised Standard Interrogatories<br />
!! <strong>No</strong>t designed for Equipment Defendants<br />
!! Supplemental Discovery Requests<br />
!! Rule 30(b)(6) Depositions
<strong>PreTrial</strong> <strong>Order</strong> <strong>No</strong>. 9<br />
Original Version<br />
!! <strong>PreTrial</strong> Preparation Schedule<br />
!! Set Trial Lists<br />
!! Deadlines for<br />
!! Motions to Add Defendants<br />
!! Product ID Discovery<br />
!! Etc.
<strong>Amended</strong> <strong>PreTrial</strong> <strong>Order</strong> <strong>No</strong>. 9<br />
!! In effect since June 6<br />
!! 62 pages long<br />
!! Adds:<br />
!! Procedures under new<br />
Medicare Requirements<br />
!! Discovery of Bankruptcy<br />
Claims Information<br />
!! Protocol for Product ID<br />
Depositions
<strong>Amended</strong> <strong>PreTrial</strong> <strong>Order</strong> <strong>No</strong>. 9<br />
!! Medicare Procedures<br />
!! Forms<br />
!! Initial Medicare Disclosure<br />
!! Settlement Reporting Form<br />
!! Only if Medicare Eligible<br />
and if Exposure<br />
Post-12/5/1980<br />
!! At Time of Settlement
<strong>Amended</strong> <strong>PreTrial</strong> <strong>Order</strong> <strong>No</strong>. 9<br />
!! Medicare Procedures<br />
!! At Time of Settlement<br />
!! Agree Whether Medicare Eligible<br />
!! Affidavit<br />
!! Dispute Resolved by Special Master or Court<br />
!! Agree Whether there is Post-12/5/1980 Exposure<br />
!! Complaint, Written Discovery, Depositions<br />
!! Dispute Resolved by Special Master or Court
<strong>Amended</strong> <strong>PreTrial</strong> <strong>Order</strong> <strong>No</strong>. 9<br />
!! Medicare Procedures<br />
!! If Post-12/5/1980 Exposure<br />
!! Reporting Form<br />
!! Release Addendum<br />
!! Defendant makes payment<br />
!! Plaintiffs Counsel holds net settlement funds until CMS Waiver<br />
or Case Closed Letter<br />
!! Plaintiff Indemnifies Defendant for any breach by Plaintiff or<br />
Plaintiffs Counsel
<strong>Amended</strong> <strong>PreTrial</strong> <strong>Order</strong> <strong>No</strong>. 9<br />
!! Medicare Procedures<br />
!! If <strong>No</strong> Post-12/5/1980 Exposure<br />
!! <strong>No</strong> Reporting Form<br />
!! Release Addendum<br />
!! Defendant Makes Payment<br />
!! <strong>No</strong> Funds held in Escrow unless Medicare makes Claim<br />
!! Plaintiff Indemnifies Defendant for any breach by Plaintiff or<br />
Plaintiffs Counsel
<strong>Amended</strong> <strong>PreTrial</strong> <strong>Order</strong> <strong>No</strong>. 9<br />
!! Bankruptcy Claim Form Discovery<br />
!! At close of Product ID Discovery<br />
!! Production of Exposure section of POC Form<br />
!! 30 Days before Trial<br />
!! Certification that all known claims made<br />
!! After Verdict<br />
!! Assignment of future claims
Insurance Coverage
All Sums v. Pro Rata<br />
!! All Sums: Because asbestos causes progressive<br />
harm, all coverage after initial exposure bears joint<br />
and several liability for ultimate harm.<br />
!! Boston Gas Co. v. Century Indemnity Co., 454 Mass. 337 (2009)<br />
!! Pollution Case<br />
!! Pro Rata Allocation of Indemnity among Various<br />
Insurers Based on Time on the Risk<br />
!! Insured Pays Share for Lapse in Coverage
New England Insulation<br />
v.<br />
Liberty Mutual<br />
!! Liberty Mutual Terminated Cost Share<br />
Agreement for Asbestos Liabilities, citing<br />
Boston Gas.<br />
!! Liberty Mutual Limited its Pro Rata Share to<br />
Proportion of Time on Risk v. Time to Present<br />
!! Includes Period when Asbestos Coverage was<br />
Unavailable<br />
!! Trial Court agreed with Liberty Mutual
All Sums v. Pro Rata<br />
All Sums<br />
Travelers<br />
Liberty<br />
Mutual<br />
NEI<br />
Pro Rata<br />
Travelers<br />
Liberty<br />
Mutual<br />
NEI
New England Insulation<br />
v.<br />
Liberty Mutual<br />
!! Pending before Massachusetts Appeals Court<br />
!! Is Policy Language Sufficiently Different from<br />
Boston Gas that Pro Rata should not apply?<br />
!! Is Policy Language Ambiguous?<br />
!! If Pro Rata Applies, Who Bears Risk of Period<br />
of Asbestos Exclusion?
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