N.Y. Court Grants Motion to Consolidate Asbestos Cases for Trial

NEW YORK -- A New York trial court has consolidated nine asbestos cases into three trial groups, saying that trying the cases individually would "create a tremendous burden for this court." Bauer v. A.O. Smith Water Products Co., et al., NO. 115756/07 (N.Y. Sup. Ct., New York Cty.).

In the Aug. 21 opinion, the New York County Supreme Court opined that it would not be inappropriate to try the cases of living and deceased plaintiffs together since all suffer from the same fatal disease.

The plaintiffs asked the court for a joint trial, saying that the cases have the …