Wisconsin Supreme Court Rejects Liberty Mutual Appeal in Asbestos Case

An insurance company might have to pay big money to people claiming asbestos-related injuries under a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling.

The court ruled in a dispute between Plastics Engineering Co. and its insurer, Liberty Mutual. The company made products containing asbestos between 1950 and 1983. Thousands of people claim they were injured by exposure to those products.

Liberty Mutual paid $14.3 million to cover the claims through 2005. But the insurer tried to limit its responsibility by arguing everyone’s injuries amounted to a single occurrence.

The court rejected that argument, saying each injured person has a separate case. The court says Liberty Mutual must cover all the costs of injuries and not just a portion.