Asbestos Claims Against GE Each Considered One 'Occurrence'

NEW YORK - A state court judge in New York has refused to join together thousands of personal injury claims against asbestos defendant General Electric Co. for the purposes of applying millions of dollars in insurance benefits paid by the company's excess insurers. Appalachian Insurance Company v. General Electric Co., et al., No. 122807/96 (N.Y. Sup. Ct., New York Cty.).

Instead, New York County Supreme Court Justice Ira Gammerman said in an opinion issued April 7 that claims by those allegedly injured by GE's asbestos-containing products each constitute a single occurrence and must individually exceed the primary policy limits before …