SNAKE EYES FOR LAST MAN STANDING
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Confirms Pre-Trial Pro Tanto Release: Decision Provides Windfall for Plaintiff

icSendicometimes, it just doesn't pay to be the last remaining defendant in high stakes litigation.

In a much anticipated decision, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that in the apportionment of a verdict in an asbestos product liability suit, the settling defendant's pro tanto release should be enforced rather than reducing the verdict based on pro rata principles.

photo-1The decision is a victory of sorts for the plaintiff, as it will require the non-settling defendant to pay more that its proportionate share of the verdict, or in this case, an additional $410,000. The case signals a warning to those …