Ohio Court Finds Supplier Liability Case Law Applies Prospectively Only

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that case law imposing strict liability on supplier defendants should be prospective in application, concluding that nonmanufacturing defendants before 1977 could not have foreseen injuries caused by asbestos-containing products. Dicenzo, et al. v. A-Best Products Co., Inc., et al., No. 07-1628 (Ohio Sup. Ct.).

In an Oct. 22 decision, Ohio's highest court rejected an asbestos plaintiff's attempt to have the 1977 case law retroactively apply to impose a duty on the supplier defendant.

The underlying claims were asserted on behalf of Joseph DiCenzo, who was employed by Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel Corp. …