Court Upholds Statute Asserting Lien on Portion of Asbestos Verdict

ST. LOUIS - Defendants in an asbestos case that ended with a $10 million verdict for a former building engineer with mesothelioma have failed in their attempt to challenge the constitutionality of a law allowing the state to assert a lien on half the punitive damage award. Hoskins, et al. v. Business Men's Assurance, et al., No. SC83727 (Mo. Sup. Ct.).

The Missouri Supreme Court said in its July 23 per curiam opinion that because the validity of the statute, Section 537.675 was in question, it has jurisdiction over the challenge by Federal-Mogul, which was found partly liable for the …