How commonplace are asbestos lawsuits?
Since the regulation of asbestos in 1970, asbestos lawsuits have become somewhat commonplace in tort law (civil law). The RAND (nonprofit research and development institution) Institute of Civil Justice has declared asbestos litigation to be the longest running mass tort in U.S. history. Through 2002, an approximate 730,000 asbestos claims had been filed against some 8,400 business entities. Defendant corporations and insurance companies have spent a total of $70 billion in asbestos-related legal expenses, $49 billion of which constitutes gross compensation for claimants.