Nationwide there were 355 such awards between 1965 and 1990, one-quarter of them in asbestos cases.

The courts, facing growing numbers of asbestos cases, have repeatedly called on Congress for a legislative solution.

Such an approach has not been tried in asbestos cases, in part because the research needed to make a scientific argument takes time to complete.

"The key to the asbestos cases is their aggregation," the judge said in an interview Thursday.

Thousands are dying before their asbestos cases come close to being decided.

An asbestos case filed today cannot get a trial date before 1997.

I believe that 80 percent to 90 percent of all asbestos cases are smokers.

Analysts saw the action as a signal that asbestos cases could put a drag on the company's earnings.

Six Federal judges dealing with asbestos cases plan an extraordinary meeting soon to try to resolve thousands of the claims.

The asbestos case shows that details are of interest.