Rhode Island Court Denies GE Motion for Summary Judgment in Turbine Case

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A state court in Rhode Island has denied summary judgment to General Electric in an asbestos case, claiming the plaintiff had presented product identification evidence sufficient to create issues of fact that should be decided by a jury. Totman v. ACandS, et al., No. 00-5296 (R.I. Sup., Providence).

The state Superior Court issued its opinion Feb. 11, turning its back to an argument by GE that the company never manufactured, sold, distributed or supplied the asbestos-insulated marine turbines to which plaintiff James Totman alleged he was exposed.

Totman and his wife sued GE and several others in …