A bill to limit a leading packaging company’s liability for Idaho claims relating to asbestos exposure has got the Idaho House support. Crown Holdings, Inc., a Pennsylvania-based metal packaging company, was seeking protection from lawsuits filed by asbestos victims.
It was in 1963 that Crown purchased an asbestos-contaminated firm. Since then it has paid out approximately $700 million for resolving asbestos claims. Still, more than 50,000 claims are pending.
The legislation was approved by the House by a vote of 47-22. The bill will limit the legal responsibility of companies which acquire other firms with asbestos issues. The legislation will cancel out Crown’s future asbestos payouts in the state of Idaho. There are 10 pending claims in Idaho. The company has already won protections in 14 states.