Adamson v. Amchem Products
Filed 9/6/06 Adamson v. Amchem Products CA1/5
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS
California Rules of Court, rule 977(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 977(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 977.
IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT
DIVISION FIVE
| JOAN ADAMSON et al., Plaintiffs and Appellants, v. AMCHEM PRODUCTS, INC., et al., Defendants and Respondents. |
A110664
(San Francisco County Super. Ct. No. 408557)
|
Plaintiffs' appeal from an adverse judgment requires us to decide whether a consortium of former asbestos producers who settled claims through the Center for Claims Resolution (CCR) are jointly and severally liable for the shares of the defaulting CCR members.
Factual and Procedural Background
Plaintiffs, numbering 288, filed lawsuits seeking damages for injuries resulting from exposure to asbestos products. Through their counsel Brayton-Purcell, plaintiffs negotiated settlements with CCR, a corporation formed by former asbestos producers to coordinate the defense and settlement of asbestos personal injury claims. For each plaintiff, CCR negotiated a single lump-sum payment without disclosing how the shares of the total settlement would be assessed against its various members. Plaintiffs released all claims against every CCR member.
Internally, CCR and its producer members are governed by the â€
