Md. Court Reverses Asbestos Verdicts in Part, Cites Erroneous Jury Instructions, Improper ‘Use’ Plaintiffs

ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– A Maryland appellate court has reversed and remanded portions of a jury’s decision to award nearly $10 million in four consolidated asbestos cases, ruling in all four cases that “use” plaintiffs were improperly included as parties to the actions.

In the May 2 opinion, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals additionally found in one of the cases that the jury should have been instructed on allocation of damages for respective harm caused by smoking and asbestos exposure.

The appellate court did reject the defendant’s assignment of error regarding jury instructions for a supplier’s duty to inspect …