INSURERS ORDERED TO REIMBURSE 3M ON BREAST IMPLANT CLASS
SUITS.
The Minnesota Supreme Court Aug. 21 ruled the 29 liability insurers
of 3M Co. must reimburse it for the losses it incurred in settling a
massive class action brought by thousands of women who . . .
CLASS ACTION ON FAST TRACK AS ASBESTOS BILL STUMBLES.
The Senate could take up a class action bill shortly after its
return next month, while a measure aimed at settling asbestos cases has
run into more formidable obstacles including disillusionment . . .
WATCH ON THE MEDIA.
The Washington Post reported Dec. 3 that three years after a
landmark report found medical mistakes were pervasive in U.S. hospitals,
little has been done to reduce death and injury.
"There's a . . .
PENNSYLVANIA CLOSE TO ENACTING PRODUCER LICENSING REFORM.
The Pennsylvania General Assembly has passed legislation
streamlining licensing procedures for insurance agents and brokers.
If Gov Mark. Schweiker (R) signs SB 1416, as expected, . . .
OHIO GETS AN INTERIM INSURANCE DIRECTOR.
Ohio Gov. Bob Taft (R) has named Holly Saelens, assistant director
for policy and legislation in the Department of Insurance, as the
department's interim director following the resignation of . . .
NEVADA PUNITIVE-DAMAGES VERDICT RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
A Nevada award of $69 million in punitive damages against Ford
Motor Co. was unconstitutionally excessive because it was based upon the
vehicle manufacturer's conduct across the country, the . . .
MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR SIGNS TORT REFORM BILL.
Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove (D) signed into law Dec. 3 a bill
aimed at limiting liability of businesses after the Legislature ended a
lengthy stalemate over its terms in the third special . . .
MINNESOTA: UNIVERSITY SETTLES DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT.
Minnesota's St. Cloud State University agreed Dec. 3 to pay
more than $300,000 in damages and send its entire faculty to diversity
classes to settle a class action alleging systematic . . .
THE ST. PAUL COMPANIES CREATES NEW NON-LIFE LLOYD'S
SYNDICATE.
The St. Paul Companies has succeeded in gaining full ownership of
seven mixed-capital Lloyd's syndicates and has merged them into one
company to consolidate its non-life operations.
David Reed, . . .
INSURANCE RESEARCH COUNCIL FINDS AUTO SAFETY A VITAL
CONCERN.
Ninety percent of recent car purchasers rated safety as an
important factor in their decisions, with 60 percent saying it was
"very important," a survey conducted by the Insurance Research
Council . . .
CIGNA AGREES TO SETTLE CLASS ACTION BROUGHT BY
PHYSICIANS.
Cigna Corp. has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit by agreeing
to be more forthcoming with physicians about its business practices.
In announcing the agreement, American Medical Association . . .
NAIC WORKING GROUP REACHES AGREEMENT ON INTERSTATE
COMPACT.
The prospects for persuading Congress that states should continue
to regulate insurance improved considerably Dec. 3 when the Interstate
Compact Working Group of the National Association of . . .
NCOIL ACTS ON CREDIT SCORING, CLASS ACTIONS, DELAYS AUTO
PARTS.
The National Conference of Insurance Legislators adopted model acts
for using consumer credit information in determining personal insurance
rates and class action suits against insurers and agents . . .
GAO CRITICAL OF OSHA EFFORTS TO TARGET CONSTRUCTION
WORKSITES.
The Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health
Administration's efforts to target hazardous worksites for priority
inspection should be strengthened, the General Accounting Office . . .
J. P. MORGAN, 11 INSURERS IN JURY TRIAL OVER ENRON
RESPONSIBILIITY.
Whether 11 insurers were tricked or misled into selling $1 billion
in Enron-related surety bonds to J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. was the
focus of opening arguments Dec. 2 in U.S. District Court in . . .
BUSH SIGNS BILL DIRECTING NHTSA TO IMPROVE CHILD AUTO
SAFETY.
President Bush signed into law Dec. 4 a bill directing the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration to improve federal child-restraint
systems for children who weigh over 50 pounds and have . . .
COALITION SUES OVER MEXICAN TRUCKS.
A coalition of environmental, labor and consumer groups went to
court Dec. 2 seeking to prevent the Department of Transportation from
processing applications from Mexican commercial vehicles to use . . .
U.S. BOAT SAFETY ACT DOESN'T PREEMPT TORT SUITS, HIGH COURT
SAYS.
The Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971 giving the Coast Guard
authority to set uniform safety standards for recreational boats
doesn't preempt lawsuits under state tort law, the Supreme Court
ruled . . .
BUSH ENACTS TERRORISM INSURANCE LAW; TREASURY ISSUES
GUIDANCE.
As the president signed the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002
into law Nov. 26, state and federal government officials quickly stepped
up to provide guidance to property/casualty insurers as . . .
WATCH ON THE MEDIA.
Legal Times columnist Tony Mauro reported Nov. 18 there is "a
rumor traced back to the highest echelons of conservative public
thinking" that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia may be
nominated . . .
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