Settlements Reached in Nearly 40 Asbestos Cases Scheduled for Trial After W.Va. Judge Urges Parties to Avoid ‘Dreadful’ Trial Experience

CHARLESTON, W.Va. –– Settlements have been reached in nearly 40 asbestos trials marked for trial next week, one week after a West Virginia judge urged the remaining parties to reach a resolution in order to avoid a “dreadful [trial] experience” with 6-foot social distancing and mask-wearing, sources told HarrisMartin Publishing.

The last settlement in the group of 38 cases was reached on July 28, just moments before jury selection was scheduled to begin. Trial was slated to begin in the West Virginia First Judicial Circuit Court (Brooke, Hancock, and Ohio Counties) on Aug. 3.

In a July 21 notice, …