Ala. Federal Court Refuses to Allow Asbestos Plaintiff to Amend Complaint, Says it Would ‘Unfairly Prejudice’ Defendant

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. –– An Alabama federal court has rejected efforts made by an asbestos plaintiff to amend her complaint, saying that her failure to include an additional 12 years of claims in the original pleading was “the result of a lack of diligence.”

In the April 15 ruling, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama also granted a defendant’s motion to dismiss punitive damages and strike the plaintiff’s jury demand.

Barbara Bobo filed the claims, contending that her malignant mesothelioma was caused by exposure to asbestos-containing products. MetLife and the Tennessee Valley Authority are the only …