The Asbestos Dossier
A supplement (no. 1082) of the French periodical: Semaine sociale Lamy was published on July 1, 2002 which examined recent asbestos developments in France. The thirty-three page document was written by Jean-Paul Teissonniere and Slyvie Topaloff, lawyers for asbestos victims in a crucial action heard by the French Supreme Court. On February 28, 2002, the Court upheld verdicts of "faute inexcusable" (variously translated as inexcusable fault or inexcusable negligence) in twenty-nine cases brought by asbestos victims or their surviving relatives. The paper, in French, can be obtained from the publisher’s office; the fax number for the Paris office is: 01 44 72 12 90.
Dr Annie Thebaud-Mony, who works closely with ANDEVA, the French Asbestos Victims’ Group, says: "This report was written by two lawyers who have been working with French asbestos victims for many years. It details recent developments in French asbestos litigation and shows the part which was played since the 1990s by victims in obtaining justice for those injured through exposure to asbestos. The determined and focused efforts of asbestos victims has radically transformed the social and political debate on compensation for occupational disease in France. Authors Teissonniere and Topaloff also examine the significance of the Indemnization Fund for Asbestos Victims which has been set up by the French Government."
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1 See: French Supreme Court Supports Asbestos Victims.
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October 8, 2002
