Calif. Court Rejects Efforts to Toss Insurance Claims Relating to Benzene Workers’ Compensation Claim

SAN FRANCISCO –– A California federal court has allowed a benzene-related insurance dispute to proceed, rejecting efforts by several insurance companies to toss breach of contract and declaratory relief causes of action.

In the Nov. 19 decision, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California also found that collateral and judicial estoppel doctrines are inapplicable to the underlying action.

San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District filed the underlying suit against Midwest Employers Casualty Company, National Union Fire Insurance Company, and Westport Insurance Company, explaining that the defendants insured SF BART at different time periods between 1992 and …