Garlock claimant insurer Aetna given access to sealed hearing evidence

By Kali Hays

New York, March 28 - Insurers for certain of Garlock Sealing Technologies Inc. asbestos claimants, Aetna, Inc., obtained a court ruling granting access to sealed discovery evidence from Garlock's recent asbestos injury estimation trial, according to Aetna's media relations representative Cynthia Michener.

As previously reported, Aetna filed the request for access to the evidence on Feb. 19 based on "information and belief" that insurance plan members who claimed asbestos related diseases could be fraudulent upon the Garlock court finding widespread misconduct among claimants in the case.

"This is about subrogation," or the reimbursement of pay-outs from a responsible third party, Michener said.

She further said that future requests for access to court documents regarding asbestos claims were possible but that "it really depends on what we find with these."

"There is no specific timeline. We're really at the beginning."

Garlock is a subsidiary of Charlotte, N.C.-based EnPro Industries, which makes sealing products, bearings, compressors and engines. Garlock filed for bankruptcy on June 5, 2010 under Chapter 11 case number 10-31607.

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