Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Case Notes

By ljnstaff
December 01, 2017

Asbestos: Pollutant or Not?

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has reversed a Texas District Court's decision that held that asbestos contamination is not pollution; this decision affects the relationship of two insurance carriers to liability for defending and indemnifying a hardware manufacturer whose products contained and allegedly released asbestos. Longhorn Gasket and Supply Co. v. United States Fire Insurance Co., 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 15706 (5th Cir. 8/18/17).

Longhorn Gasket and Supply Company (LGS) manufactured and sold gaskets — some containing asbestos — during the 1980s and 1990s. LGS has been sued in several lawsuits by claimants alleging exposure to asbestos dust from its products. During the relevant years of production, LGS maintained primary and excess insurance coverage with Trinity Lloyd's Insurance Company and Trinity Universal Insurance Company (Trinity) and United States Fire Insurance Company (U.S. Fire). In 2007, LGS sued U.S. Fire for breach of contract for that company's refusal to acknowledge the applicability of coverage under its policies; LGS also sought declaratory judgment that U.S. Fire was responsible for providing coverage to it. Trinity intervened in the suit, seeking contribution from U.S. Fire for coverage it must provide to LGS in the underlying claims.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws Image

This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.

The Article 8 Opt In Image

The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.

Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin Image

With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.

Legal Possession: What Does It Mean? Image

Possession of real property is a matter of physical fact. Having the right or legal entitlement to possession is not "possession," possession is "the fact of having or holding property in one's power." That power means having physical dominion and control over the property.

The Stranger to the Deed Rule Image

In 1987, a unanimous Court of Appeals reaffirmed the vitality of the "stranger to the deed" rule, which holds that if a grantor executes a deed to a grantee purporting to create an easement in a third party, the easement is invalid. Daniello v. Wagner, decided by the Second Department on November 29th, makes it clear that not all grantors (or their lawyers) have received the Court of Appeals' message, suggesting that the rule needs re-examination.