John Crane Sanctioned for Refusing to Settle Asbestos Claims

PHILADELPHIA - Asbestos defendant John Crane Inc. has been sanctioned by a Pennsylvania Common Pleas court for refusing to relax its national policy to never settle any of its asbestos cases. Stewart v. John Crane, Inc., No. 2985 (Pa. Comm. Pls., Philadelphia Cty.).

The sanctions were imposed March 1 by order issued from Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Richard B. Klein.

Judge Klein fined John Crane a total of $9,000 for refusing to settle claims for damages that had been assessed in the first phase of a reverse-bifurcated trial.

In one case, a jury awarded the plaintiff $360,000. With eight …