La. Court Reverses Dismissal of Claims against Employer in Asbestos Case

NEW ORLEANS -- A Louisiana appellate court has reversed an award of summary judgment to an asbestos plaintiff's former employers and executive officers of those employers, ruling that the plaintiff was permitted to pursue other remedies that were available to him at the time of his exposure. DiBenedetto v. Noble Drilling Co., et al., No. 2009-CA-0073 (La. 4th Cir. Ct. App.).

In the consolidated appeal, the court additionally rejected defense efforts to file third-party claims against defendants who had been dismissed with prejudice by the plaintiffs.

The underlying lawsuit involves claims asserted by Blaise DiBenedetto who claimed that his …