Oklahoma Senator Introduces Asbestos Reform Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla., has introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate that would establish standard medical criteria for the filing of asbestos personal injury claims.

Dubbed the "Asbestos Claims Criteria and Compensation Act of 2003, the Nickles Bill would also toll the statute of limitations until an asbestos-related physical impairment is discovered or until such time that it should have been discovered by a claimant. The bill also prohibits so-called venue shopping, except in instances where the claimant has been diagnosed with cancer and has a life-expectancy of less than three years.

In a statement released …