Court Allows Crane Co. to Amend Answer to Asbestos Complaint; Defendant will Assert Government Contractor Defense

PROVIDENCE, R.I. –– A Rhode Island court has granted Crane Co.’s motion to amend its answer in an asbestos proceeding, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to establish that they would be unfairly prejudiced by the amendment, which the defendant sought in an effort to assert the government contractor defense.

In the May 22 opinion, the Rhode Island Superior Court further found that the plaintiffs had sufficient notice that the defense could be asserted and were therefore not “unfairly surprised” by the motion.

The plaintiffs asserted the claims on behalf of Douglas A. Sweredoski, who served in the U.S. Navy …