La. Court Reverses Decision Permitting Retroactive Application of Statute

LAKE CHARLES, La. - A trial court erred by retroactively applying a statute to find asbestos plaintiffs' exposure claims barred by peremption, a Louisiana court of appeal said in reversing summary judgment for three machinery suppliers and contractors. Curtis, et al. v. Branton Industries Inc., et al., No. 06-675; Willis, et al. v. Combustion Engineering Inc., et al., No. 06-676 (La. Ct. App., 3rd Cir.).

Louisiana's 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal ruled in a Nov. 2 opinion that amendments passed by the legislature in 1990 concerning the peremption period for claims against designers, supervisors and constructors of immovable property are …