Source: https://openjurist.org/880/f2d/694/ah-robins-company-incorporated-menard-sanford
Timestamp: 2020-01-18 10:20:51
Document Index: 679205286

Matched Legal Cases: ['arty                  78400', 'art               176376', 'art                 15387', 'art           265520', 'art        239641', 'art          239642']

880 F2d 694 Ah Robins Company Incorporated Menard-Sanford | OpenJurist
880 F. 2d 694 - Ah Robins Company Incorporated Menard-Sanford
880 F2d 694 Ah Robins Company Incorporated Menard-Sanford
880 F.2d 694
19 Bankr.Ct.Dec. 997, Bankr. L. Rep. P 72,955
In re A.H. ROBINS COMPANY, INCORPORATED, Debtor. (Eight Cases.)
Rosemary MENARD-SANFORD; Karen Valenzuela; Constance
Miller Engelsberg; Nancy Lauri Adams; Carolyn
Harris, Claimants-Appellants,
Ralph R. MABEY; The Official Committee of Equity Security
Holders; The Official Unsecured Creditors Committee of A.H.
Robins Company, Incorporated; Stanley K. Joynes, III, Legal
Representative of the Future Tort Claimants of A.H. Robins
Company, Incorporated, Parties-in-interest,
A.H. Robins Company, Incorporated, Debtor-Appellee.
Donna OBERG, et al., Claimants-Appellants,
The OFFICIAL COMMITTEE OF EQUITY SECURITY HOLDERS; The
Official Unsecured Creditors Committee of A.H. Robins
Company, Incorporated; Stanley K. Joynes, III, Legal
Albert L. SIVLEY, Claimant-Appellant,
Company, Incorporated; Ralph R. Mabey; Stanley K. Joynes,
III, Legal Representative of the Future Tort Claimants of
A.H. Robins Company, Incorporated, Parties-in-interest,
Diana BROSCO; Catherine Crawford; Mary Fischer, et al.,
Lynn SCOTT; Carol Lopez, et al., Claimants-Appellants,
Elaine CUMLEY; Laura Jones; Jean Abad, et al., Claimants-Appellants,
Alexia ANDERSON, et al., Claimant-Appellant,
Stanley K. JOYNES, III, Legal Representative of the Future
Tort Claimants of A.H. Robins Company, Incorporated; The
Official Committee of Equity Security Holders; The Official
Unsecured Creditors Committee of A.H. Robins Company,
Incorporated; Ralph R. Mabey, Parties-in-interest,
The OFFICIAL UNSECURED CREDITORS COMMITTEE OF A.H. ROBINS
COMPANY, INCORPORATED; The Official Committee of Equity
Security Holders; Ralph R. Mabey; Stanley K. Joynes, III,
Legal Representative of the Future Tort Claimants of A.H.
Robins Company, Incorporated, Parties-in-interest,
Nos. 88-1750, 88-1754, 88-1756, 88-1758 to 88-1760, 88-1763
and 88-3602.
Alan B. Morrison (Linda Donaldson, Public Citizen Litigation Group, Washington, D.C., on brief), for claimants-appellants.
James Crawford Roberts (James S. Crockett, Jr., Mays & Valentine, Richmond, Va., Dennis J. Drebsky, Alesia Ranney-Marinelli, Kirk C. Loos, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, New York City, Ralph D. Pittle, Medical Legal Consultants of Washington, Seattle, Wash., John T. Baker, Bragg & Dubofsky, Denver, Colo., Joseph McDowell, Ill, Cullity, Kelley & McDowell, Manchester, N.H., W. Bradley Post, Post, Syrios & Bradshaw, Wichita, Kan., Frederic A. Bremseth, Doshan, Lord & Bremseth, Wayzata, Minn., Murray Drabkin, Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, Washington, D.C., Harold S. Novikoff, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, New York City, Henri E. Norris, Stanley K. Joynes, III, Rilee, Cantor, Arkema & Edmonds, Richmond, Va., Robert M. Miller, Berlack, Israels & Liberman, New York City, John S. Kinzey, Jr., Steven J. McCardell, Leboeuf, Lamb, Leiby & MaCrae, Salt Lake City, Utah, on brief), for debtor-appellee.
On July 26, 1988, the bankruptcy court and the district court jointly confirmed the "Sixth Amended and Restated Plan of Reorganization" (the Plan) submitted by A.H. Robins Company, Inc. (Robins). In Re A.H. Robins Co. Inc., 88 B.R. 742 (E.D.Va.1988). Rosemary Menard-Sanford and certain other personal injury claimants, who voted against the Plan, appeal. They challenge the district court's approval of the disclosure statement, the district court's use of a one claimant one vote voting procedure, the district court's feasibility finding, and a certain injunction found in the Plan. We affirm.
On August 21, 1985, Robins filed a petition for reorganization relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. For an explanation of the details surrounding Robins' bankruptcy and some of the resulting litigation, see the district court's opinion in In Re A.H. Robins Co., Inc., 88 B.R. 742 (E.D.Va.1988), and our other published opinions regarding this bankruptcy.1
On April 1, 1988, the district court approved the "Sixth Amended and Restated Disclosure Statement". The appellants argue that the disclosure statement does not contain adequate information. 11 U.S.C. Sec. 1125(b) requires that before solicitation of approval or disagreement of a plan of reorganization the disclosure statement must contain "adequate information" and be approved by the court. 11 U.S.C. Sec. 1125(a)(1) defines "adequate information" as "information of a kind, and in sufficient detail, as far as is reasonably practicable in light of the nature and history of the debtor and the condition of the debtor's books and records, that would enable a hypothetical reasonable investor typical of holders of claims or interests of the relevant class to make an informed judgment about the plan." The determination of whether the disclosure statement has adequate information is made on a case by case basis and is largely within the discretion of the bankruptcy court. In the Matter of Texas Extrusion Corp., 844 F.2d 1142, 1157 (5th Cir.1988), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 109 S.Ct. 311, 102 L.Ed.2d 330 (1988). The challenged disclosure statement began its 261 pages of information with a thorough summary of the complex plan in terms that almost anyone could understand. It explained, among much more, the amount to be put into trust and made available for the payment of claims, the various estimates of how much money was required, a warning that the funds furnished to pay the estimates might not be enough to pay all claims in full, the sources of funding, an explanation of the various funding provisions which depended on the outcome of various appeals, how claims would be handled, the four options for processing claims and the background of the case. The disclosure statement continued with a discussion of the Robins company, the Dalkon Shield, various litigation regarding the Dalkon Shield, the reorganization, the proposed merger with American Home Products Corporation (AHP), the historical stock values of both AHP and Robins, and federal income tax consequences. The final part of the disclosure statement contains actual copies of the Plan, the Claimants Trust Agreement, the Other Claimants Trust Agreement, the Claims Resolution Facility, the Merger Agreement, Aetna's additional insurance policy, AHP's Annual Report, the Liquidation Analysis and biographies of the proposed Trustees.
The appellants contend that the disclosure statement is misleading because it contains a statement that in order to approve the Plan the district court must make a finding that the Plan contains enough money to satisfy all claims in full. They point out that in reality there may not be enough money to cover all claims. The disclosure statement, however, makes that clear to the claimants. It states that "if the Court's estimate turns out to be too low, Robins will not have to make any more money available to pay claims. In addition, the Plan would generally take away your right to recover for Dalkon Shield injuries against any other parties." The disclosure statement later repeats that thought in explicit terms: "[e]stimation is not an exact science. The money available to pay Dalkon Shield claims may prove to be more or less than the actual value of such claims. If the estimation decision underestimated the value of the claims, there may not be enough money for the Claimants Trust to pay all claims in full." Thus, we think appellants' contention is without merit.
The appellants' principal challenge to the disclosure statement, however, is that it is inadequate because it does not contain ranges of recovery for claimants with specified injuries. The disclosure statement notes that "[t]here is no certain way to predict the amount that you could receive under option 3. Each claim is different. Factors that affect the value of a claim include the nature of the injury, the medical evidence available to prove the injury, the medical evidence to prove Dalkon Shield use, the presence of other causes of your injury, how long ago you were injured, and what steps you took to enforce your legal rights after your injury became apparent." There is no requirement in case law or statute that a disclosure statement estimate the value of specific unliquidated tort claims. In fact, with so many various unliquidated personal injury claims which vary so much in the extent and nature of injury, medical evidence and causation factors, any specific estimates may well have been more confusing than helpful and certainly would be more calculated to mislead. Given the quantity and quality of the information in the disclosure statement we can not say that the district court abused its discretion in finding that it contained "adequate information."
The appellants next challenge the legality of the voting procedure used to confirm the Plan. The difficulty surrounding the voting procedure resulted from the 195,000 unliquidated claims for personal injuries (Dalkon Shield Claims). The controlling legal provisions for the reorganization include 11 U.S.C. Sec. 1126(a) which provides that a "holder of a claim or interest allowed under section 502 of this title" is entitled to vote on the acceptance of a plan. 11 U.S.C. Sec. 502(a) provides that a claim filed "is deemed allowed unless a party in interest" objects. Robins objected to all the Dalkon Shield Claims. B.R. 3018(a) provides that "[n]otwithstanding objection to a claim or interest, the court after notice and hearing may temporarily allow the claim or interest in an amount which the court deems proper for the purpose of accepting or rejecting a plan." The district court, after notice and a hearing, ordered that, for purposes of voting, each Dalkon Shield Claim was estimated and allowed to be equal. It found, fully supported by the record, that any attempt to evaluate each of the 195,000 individual claims for voting purposes would cause intolerable delay. The challenge to the voting procedure relies on 11 U.S.C. Sec. 1126(c) which requires that for a plan to be approved by a class the creditors "that hold at least two-thirds in amount and more than one-half in number" accept the plan. The argument is that Sec. 1126(c) requires use of a weighted voting method which estimates the value of the claims and gives larger claims more votes.
We do not decide whether the district court's voting procedure violated Sec. 1126(c) because, in view of the outcome of the vote, the challenged procedure was at most harmless error. 139,605 claimants voted. Of that 131,761 (94.38%) voted in favor of the Plan. In Kane v. Johns-Manville Corp., 843 F.2d 636, 641-647 (2d Cir.1988),2 the district court, faced with 52,440 unliquidated personal injury claims, assigned each claim the value of one dollar for voting purposes. 95.8% of those claims voted to approve the plan. The Second Circuit in reviewing the decision did not decide whether the equal voting plan was error and decided instead that the alleged irregularities were at most harmless error. Given that 94.38% of the Dalkon Shield Claimants voted for the Plan, we hold that, at most, harmless error was committed.3
Appellants' next point on appeal is that the district court erred in finding that the Plan complied with 11 U.S.C. Sec. 1129(a)(7)(A)(ii) which requires that an impaired class of claims such as the Dalkon Shield claimants must "receive ... under the Plan ... property of a value ... that is not less than the amount that ... [they would] receive ... if the debtor were liquidated under Chapter 7" and Sec. 1129(a)(11) which requires that confirmation is not likely to be followed by liquidation or the need for further reorganization. This latter is called the feasibility requirement.
Both such complaints are based on the "same source: the failure of the district court to break out the components of the $2.475 billion figure." The argument is that since the figure was not broken down, if it turned out to be too low, then the Plan would not be feasible because it could not pay all the claimants in full, which, as the appellants note, is an assumption of the Plan and the disclosure statement. The appellants thus complain about the same fact again, except in slightly different context. In all events, we think there is no merit to the claim, but that the care the district court took in arriving at its estimate deserves mention.
The challenged findings are based on an estimation process that the district court undertook as a result of our decision in A.H. Robins Co., Inc. v. Piccinin, 788 F.2d 994, 1013 (4th Cir.1986), cert. denied 479 U.S. 876, 107 S.Ct. 251, 93 L.Ed.2d 177 (1986). In Piccinin, we stated that due to the large number of unliquidated claims that if each claim was tried the process itself "would likely consume all the assets of the debtor." Id. We suggested that the bankruptcy court "arrive at a fair estimation of the value of all the claims." Id. To assist in the estimation process, the district court appointed Professor Francis E. McGovern, who was familiar with such matters, as the court's expert to develop a data base regarding Dalkon Shield Claims. The Dalkon Shield Claimant's Committee, the Unsecured Creditor's Committee, the Future Claimant's Representative, the Equity Security Holder's Committee, Robins and Aetna all had experts to assist Professor McGovern. The data base included the results of a two page "Dalkon Shield Questionnaire and Claim Form" from more than 195,000 claimants. It also contained roughly 6,000 responses to a fifty page, "McGovern Survey Questionnaire" and medical records from a random sample of 7,500 claimants. The data collection process lasted more than a year and a half. Each of the experts hired by the various parties used the basic data in various ways to arrive at an estimation.
The district court conducted an estimation hearing from November 5, 1987 to November 11, 1987. At the hearing the parties' various experts testified. The district court considered that the testimony of the various experts estimated the claims as follows: Robins'--.8 to 1.3 billion, Equity Security Holders'--1.03 billion, Unsecured Creditors'--1.54 billion, Aetna's'--2.2 to 2.5 billion, and the Dalkon Shield Claimants'--4.2 to 7 billion. The district court decided that the proper estimate was 2.475 billion.4
At this point it is well to relate somewhat more fully the procedure used in arriving at the estimate found by the district court. As the district court noted, the testimony as to the estimated recovery value of the Dalkon Shield claims ranged from 600 million to 7 billion dollars. The testimony with respect to the 7 billion dollar figure, however, was not credited by the court.
Professor McGovern was assisted by the experts mentioned representing each of the interests involved in this case, and the procedural steps which were taken were all done by consensus among the experts representing all of the interests, so that the conclusions which the various experts drew from the evidence or the findings of the court from the evidence were the only things left open to exception.
As has been previously mentioned from time to time in the reports of these cases, the district court entered a bar date on claims and prescribed a very informal method of advising the court that a claim was being filed. The bar date of course limited the potential claimants. From these potential claimants, there were eliminated, by standard statistical and analytical methods, about one-third of the initial claims which had been filed. A detailed analysis of those claims not eliminated was performed by sending the detailed questionnaire previously mentioned to a randomly selected sample of several thousand of the claims remaining. The questionnaire asked for information, which, in the most general sense, was received back, concerning the insertion of the Dalkon Shield in the claimant and the nature of the claimant's injuries, including verification by way of medical records where possible.
A detailed analysis of all of the responses was then performed by the expert witnesses who testified in the case. A good example of competent testimony was that of Dr. Francine F. Rabinovitz, who testified on behalf of Aetna. We illustrate with her testimony because her conclusions more nearly match the conclusions of the district court than any other single witness offered. She took the returned questionnaires as a representative sample and weeded out those, for example, with no medical proof of use of the Dalkon Shield. As a further example, she classified the claims into those with and without complications and the nature of the injuries claimed. She took a further random sample of the claims as she had divided them up and got three Aetna claims adjusters who had been experienced in the actual adjustment of Dalkon Shield claims and instructed those adjusters to set a value on a sample of the claims she referred to them, considering that there was liability, so the only thing the adjusters had to consider in setting a value on a claim was the nature of the injury and of course the proof required and the attendant expenses. The adjusters were instructed not to place a low estimate on the claims. Dr. Rabinovitz, by using this method, drew the conclusion that the compensation necessary, assuming that documentation that use of the Dalkon Shield were a prerequisite, would be in excess of 1.9 billion dollars, and, assuming that documentation would not be a prerequisite, a sum in excess of 2.4 billion dollars. To these sums, she would have added modest payments to all active claimants, whatever the merit of such claims, and 50 million dollars as a reserve against future injuries, which made her figures for documented injuries at slightly more than 2.0 billion dollars and for undocumented injuries slightly more than 2.5 billion dollars. Dr. Rabinovitz further concluded that she thought there might be a considerable reduction from disallowance of claims and that she would reasonably anticipate the total indemnity of the obligation to be 2.2 to 2.3 billion dollars. That some reduction is not unreasonable is illustrated by a remark we have come across in the record that one claimant apparently said she took two Dalkon Shields a day.
From our brief recital of a small part of the evidence before the district court, we see that its finding of 2.475 billion dollars as the estimate to include all Dalkon Shield claims is not clearly erroneous under Rule 8013. Indeed, we think the district court would have been quite justified in accepting Dr. Rabinovitz' testimony, so appellants may not complain about the district court's arrival at a somewhat higher figure.
Finally, the appellants challenge as without the power of the bankruptcy court the portion of the Plan which requires the injunction of suits that have connection to the Dalkon Shield, against certain entities other than Robins. Robins argues that the injunction is a proper exercise of the district court's power to channel claims to a specific res or alternately that the injunction is proper because 94.38% of the claimants voted for the Plan and thereby consented to the injunction. We affirm, but our reasoning differs somewhat from that of Robins, although its position, of course, should enter into consideration. The suits in question which some of the appellants wish to bring are against Robins' directors, Robins' and Aetna's attorneys, and Aetna, seeking to hold them as joint tortfeasors with Robins for Dalkon Shield injuries.
We begin our discussion by considering the impact of our decision in In Re: A.H. Robins Company Inc., 88-1755(L) (Breland settlement), decided this date, on this challenge to the Plan's injunction. In Breland, we affirmed the district court's certification of a mandatory non-opt-out class for members of class A and a class which allows an opt-out for compensatory damages for members of class B. Class A is defined as those Dalkon Shield claimants who met the filing deadlines of the district court and therefore have a non-subordinated claim against the trust fund set up for the claimants in the Robins' reorganization. Class B is defined as those Dalkon Shield claimants who did not meet the filing deadline or like procedural requirements and are therefore not eligible for a non-subordinated recovery from the trust fund for reasons not related to the abstract merits of the claims. The Breland settlement, however, provided all class B claimants with a second chance to pursue their Dalkon Shield claims by staying in the class and applying to the Claims Resolution Facility.5 For class B members the merits of their Dalkon Shield claims would be determined in the same method as is in place to determine class A members' claims except they would have no right to a jury trial. Their claims would be paid by the two Outlier policies issued by Aetna which provide for $100,000,000 to pay such claims.6 No party challenges the adequacy of the Outlier policies to pay the class B claims. We therefore are entitled to and do assume that the claims of all class B claimants who wish to have the merits and amount of their claims ascertained by the Claims Resolution Facility will be fully satisfied. However, the Breland settlement, in conjunction with the Plan, did not force the class B claimants who chose to opt-out to stay within the settlement. They could elect to forgo the benefits of the settlement and retain their right to sue Aetna and to sue medical providers for malpractice.7 In Breland, we also approved the class action settlement, which expressly bars the members of class A and the members of class B who did not opt-out from further prosecuting their Dalkon Shield claims other than pursuant to the terms of the settlement. Given this bar from pursuing compensation for their Dalkon Shield injuries, other than pursuant to the order, the injunction complained of has no real effect on the rights of members of class A and the members of class B who have not exercised their right to opt-out.
The Plan's injunction, therefore, only has real impact upon members of Class B who have elected to opt-out of the Breland settlement. The injunction under sections 1.85 and 8.04 of the Plan prevents these claimants from suing all third parties other than "insurer[s]" (which includes Aetna) and claims based exclusively on medical malpractice. The class B members who have elected to opt-out, it is remembered, claim to have causes of action as joint tortfeasors with Robins against Robins' directors, Aetna, and law firms who represented both Robins and Aetna. A suit against any of the parties mentioned by the class B opt-out members would affect the bankruptcy reorganization in one way or another such as by way of indemnity or contribution. See A.H. Robins Co. Inc. v. Piccinin, 788 F.2d 994 (4th Cir.1986), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 876, 107 S.Ct. 251, 93 L.Ed.2d 177 (1986). And, in all events, provision for payment in full of all class B claimants has been made.
Bankruptcy courts are courts of equity. See NLRB v. Bildisco & Bildisco, 465 U.S. 513, 527, 104 S.Ct. 1188, 1196, 79 L.Ed.2d 482 (1984). 11 U.S.C. Sec. 105(a) gives a bankruptcy court the power to issue "any order, process or judgment that is necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of this title," and confers equitable powers upon the bankruptcy courts. In Matter of Old Orchard Inv. Co., 31 B.R. 599 (W.D.Mich.1983). Given the impact of the proposed suits on the bankruptcy reorganization and the fact that the class B members who chose to opt-out could have had their claims fully satisfied by staying within the settlement, the bankruptcy court's equitable powers support the questioned injunction. We think the ancient but very much alive doctrine of marshalling of assets is analogous here. A creditor has no right to choose which of two funds will pay his claim. The bankruptcy court has the power to order a creditor who has two funds to satisfy his debt to resort to the fund that will not defeat other creditors. Columbia Bank for Cooperatives v. Lee, 368 F.2d 934, 939 (4th Cir.1966), cert. denied, 386 U.S. 992, 87 S.Ct. 1308, 18 L.Ed.2d 338 (1967); IV Minor's Institutes 1248 (1883). Here, the carefully designed reorganization of Robins, in conjunction with the settlement in Breland, provided for satisfaction of the class B claimants. However, some chose to opt-out of the settlement in order to pursue recovery for their injuries from Aetna or from medical providers for malpractice. It is essential to the reorganization that these opt-out plaintiffs either resort to the source of funds provided for them in the Plan and Breland settlement or not be permitted to interfere with the reorganization and thus with all the other creditors. Since they have chosen opt-out rather than payment in full, they may have no complaint about a restriction placed on their ability to sue others. Permitting a suit by them in violation of the Plan is a defeat of the Plan and a resulting defeat of the other creditors. "Particularly since the insurance settlement/injunction arrangement was essential in this case to a workable reorganization, it falls within the bankruptcy court's equitable powers 'which traditionally have been invoked to the end that ... substance will not give way to form, that technical considerations will not prevent substantial justice." MacArthur Co. v. Johns-Manville Corp., 837 F.2d 89, 94 (2nd Cir.1988), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 109 S.Ct. 176, 102 L.Ed.2d 145 (1988), quoting In re U.N.R. Industries, Inc., 725 F.2d 1111, 1119 (7th Cir.1984).
The appellants finally contend that 11 U.S.C. Sec. 524(e) prohibits the injunction. Section 524(e) states that "[e]xcept as provided in subsection (a)(3) of this section,8 discharge of a debt of the debtor does not affect the liability of any other entity on, or the property of any other entity for, such debt." Some courts have held that Sec. 524(e) and its predecessor, Sec. 16 of the 1898 Bankruptcy Act, results in the bankruptcy court having no power to discharge liabilities of a nondebtor pursuant to the consent of creditors as a part of a reorganization plan. See Underhill v. Royal, 769 F.2d 1426, 1432 (9th Cir.1985); Union Carbide Corp. v. Newboles, 686 F.2d 593 (7th Cir.1982). However, the Fifth Circuit has stated that "[a]lthough section 524 has generally been interpreted to preclude release of guarantors by a bankruptcy court, the statute does not by its specific words preclude the discharge of a guaranty when it has been accepted and confirmed as an integral part of reorganization." Republic Supply Co. v. Shoaf, 815 F.2d 1046, 1050 (5th Cir.1987).9
We find the language used by the Fifth Circuit persuasive. Whatever the result might be as to the application of Sec. 524(e) in other cases, we do not think that section must be literally applied in every case as a prohibition on the power of the bankruptcy courts, as appellants would have us apply it here. In this situation where the Plan was overwhelmingly approved, where the Plan in conjunction with insurance policies provided as a part of a plan of reorganization gives a second chance for even late claimants to recover where, nevertheless, some have chosen not to take part in the settlement in order to retain rights to sue certain other parties, and where the entire reorganization hinges on the debtor being free from indirect claims such as suits against parties who would have indemnity or contribution claims against the debtor, we do not construe Sec. 524(e) so that it limits the equitable power of the bankruptcy court to enjoin the questioned suits. We leave questions concerning cases in which Sec. 524(e) does apply for another day.
The orders of the district court appealed from are accordingly
APPEAL NUMBER  APPELLANT                    DALKON SHIELD NUMBER
881750        Rosemary MenardSanford      82114
Karen Velenzuela             82207
Constance Miller Engelsberg  82142
Nancy Lauri Adams            82174
Carolyn Harris               303631
881754        Mary Albert                  252684
Carol Angus                  215751
Judith Beaule                62242
Janis Belcher                237565
Daniel Belcher               237566
Karen Belcher                237564
David Belcher                243035
Melanie Bennett              183837
Nancy Benson                 191191
Jean Boeckler                122207
John Boeckler                122208
Janet Bruce                  296254
Melody Cannon                228522
Barbara L. Carr              20475
David W. Carr                244903
Helen Carty                  78400
Sandra Cassier               7647
Patrick Cassier              7646
Victoria Charnock            228521
Ellen Chodes                 42705
Elizabeth Cote               26935
Brenda Davis                 111886
Marion DuFord                78493
Deborah Fallon               80309
John Fallon                  80310
Dawn Gebo                    7306
Janet Gregory                79226
Frank Gregory                79225
Sarah E. Haskell             78399
Pamela Hockenhull            78909
Patricia Johnson             78581
Mary E. Jordan               291790
April WeeksKorn             78397
Leonard Korn                 78398
Debora Lamont                96144
Beverly McClure              80313
Katherine Maher              19424
Elaine Nizza                 228523
Donna Oberg                  77966
Diane Pinard                 7113
Jeanne Robey                 237567
Paul Robey                   237568
Pamela Saxby                 78580
Shellie Shapiro              78583
Howard Shapiro               78582
Sharon Lee Spern             187651
Rebecca Steinbach            281041
Jeannette Sweet              85890
Beverly Tonkin               184469
Donna Tshanakas              222583
Nicholas Tshanakas           222584
Daphne Whitmore              78910
Linda Bisson                 172492
Anne Soucy                   286513
Sally Adams                  225908
Randy Adams                  225886
Charlotte Allen              227324
Charles Allen                225896
Jan Allen                    225897
Barbara Bill Klinger         225899
Linda Brust                  225323
Virginia Bryan Roberts       225901
Gwendolyn E. Buettner        70274
Carolyn Campbell             225900
Lynn Crosby                  225902
William Franklin Crosby      233041
Mary Kathryn Deemer          235677
John Deemer                  225885
Donna Faremouth              260787
Charles Faremouth            260788
Cindy Franco                 225884
Fred Franco                  231644
Elena Friedman               225893
Darleene L. Frink            226609
Kenneth Frink                225964
Diane Goshorn                113174
Christiane J. Guignard       219368
Linda Harre                  225883
William Harre                225894
June Ellen Harris            225895
Carol Harterink              225903
Anton Harterink              225904
Rosanne Heard                225905
Jimmie Dale Heard            225906
Atha Henderson               225907
Jill Campion Huff            233339
Pamela Johnson               7353
Ted Johnson                  7356
Wanda Lancaster              6020
Deborah Jean Lenzi           225485
Betty Leobold                225486
William D. Leobold           235694
Susan Lippner                225890
Robert Lippner               225889
Victoria L. McCord           225888
Cheryl McFarland             192508
Dayna McKendree              225887
Diane Mance Zywotko          225892
Carol Mitchell               225891
Susan Nehrig Cole            46096
Paul Nehrig                  46097
Deloris A. Nicolaou          255933
Sherry Peavy                 225322
Kenneth Peavy                225488
Flora Poe                    109594
Brenda Reilly                225489
Gerald Reilly                225490
Patricia Scolaro             225491
Edward Scolaro               235693
Wanda Joe Selvanik           225492
Michael Selvanik             225487
Janice Denise Simmons        7355
Merrick Simmons              7354
Martha E. Sims               225483
Eslyn South                  189220
Tracy Staneart               176376
Debra Renee Thompson         225321
Denise B. Wax                225946
Dan Wax                      234731
Rachael O. Thompson          200369
Edwin L. Wilbur              202442
Sharon Malloy Wilber         201016
Harold E. Kerkhoff, Jr.      200370
Robert F. Grant, Deceased    200373
Robert W. Adams              200368
Gillian L. Adams             200367
Mr. R.S. Shaw                285422
Blanche M. Shaw              202439
Donna M. Kerkhoff            200375
Kathleen A. Denise           62658
Jim H. James                 200366
Beatrice D. Sewell           200374
Kenneth R. Livingston        200883
Gloria W. Livingston         200372
Harvey H. Friedman           200371
Arlene Whitaker James        200365
Phyllis B. Puckett           225059
Rhalda S. Friedman           202440
Joyce F. Grant               202441
Barbara A. Purvis            202438
881756        Albert Sivley                156549
881758        Louise Anderson              40014
Jan Beck                     40021
Mary Jo Bennett              97533
Sandra Bescheinen            314579
Patricia Bonn                40029
Diane Brosco                 40038
Karla Clark                  866239
Catherine Crawford           40065
Silvia Crockett              40066
Dee Dahl                     269915
Katheryn Duryea              192464
Mickie Engel                 179358
Mary Fischer                 40095
Arlene Ford (Robinson)       100767
Sandra Fritz                 33463
Susan Geisler                236132
Nancy Gossan                 275731
Constance Halverson          64890
Lois Hansel                  15085
Rachel Jones                 183223
Lisa Kerr                    66317
Rosemary Lambert             174880
Nora Manning                 40169
Carolie Martin               40172
Lee McDaniel                 40183
Eleanor Meyer                236151
Rosemary Nelson              66584
Charlotte Pool               66605
Faye Schultz                 14448
Sharon Scott                 269922
Ginger Shirley               66666
Yvonne Spicer                67003
Lyndalou Steckler            66566
Shelly Stisser               66682
Carole Torres                66478
Suzanne Walfoort             304062
Mary Ann Watrous
Diane Zapata                 153920
881759        Lynn Scott
881760        Elaine Cumley                207022
Jean Abad                    268523
Eileen Ackerman              82175
Linda Adamecz                232928
Donna Albright               268416
Christine Alfaros            82173
Cathy Allen                  82172
Paulette Allen               269145
Scott Allen                  268521
Nancy Alotis                 269161
Diane Anderson               268414
Susan Anderson               82171
Douglas Anderson             268519
Anne Angelou                 82170
Dimitris Angelou             268516
Cynthia Apple                275727
Ann Frances Aspon            82243
Beverly Annette Back         203008
Deborah Barbour Eaton        82235
Beret Barnes                 82169
Dixie Barnes                 203011
Beverly BartleyMustin       82168
Jane Beedle                  82167
Kathy Bennett                275752
Edith (Deedi) Berde          275753
Janice Berg                  268481
Hanna Berkow                 87077
Birohnie Blair Dowdell       202946
Sandra Bliven Budd           82166
Jennell Boote                82165
Stessi Boyd                  275736
Jean Brewer                  82164
Geraldine Broeffle           82163
Carolyn Brown                107919
Marguerite Bryson            203023
Sandra Bucsit                268413
Veronica BurnsPeterson      82162
Norma Cabrera Reid           82161
Sylvia Cameron               82153
Chris Campbell               203020
Cynthia Campbell             269162
Linda Carlsen                203010
Jennifer Cheney              268475
Judy Clark                   82154
Karen Clement                268518
Karl Clement                 268509
Myra Cole                    82155
Kathy Collin                 32966
Arthur Collin                268503
Patricia Conley              82156
Bonnie Cook                  203019
Sheryl Cooper                202980
Dawn Covell                  82210
Dianna Crabb                 82143
Karen Crenshaw George        82144
Michael Crenshaw             268506
Linda Croskey                82146
Kenneth Croskey, Sr.         268501
Judith Danforth              269148
Adis Daniels                 271762
Monica Davis                 233127
Becky Deeter                 202989
Maureen DeGaetano            91499
Diane DeRooy                 82148
Christina DeWeese            82236
Mary Ann Dizon Lancaster     203018
Catherine D. Tomlinson       202979
Janet Dowling                82149
Larry Dowty
Lorraine Dressel             203017
Susan Duram                  268471
Susan Jane Durham            82139
Leolynn DuVal                202982
Christine Eager Leback       82140
Cathi Eicher                 203033
Charlene Eitelberg           275737
Monica Ellis                 82141
James Ellis                  268498
Danelia Fanello              82135
Phyllis Fernandes            203039
Edward Fernandes             268496
Gloria Fields                120488
Margaret Fithen              203012
Cleo Fitzgerald              82132
Gregory Fitzgerald           268494
Marcia Fletcher              35024
Julia Foss                   268410
Judith Fowe                  82134
Robert Fowe                  268446
Patricia Fox                 268513
Ronald Fox                   268530
Juanita Francis              82237
Don Francis                  268492
Jackie Franck                229230
Delilia Frank                82136
Marie Gallegos               82137
Pamela Garrett               268511
Mary Jane Gassert            82138
Rhonda Gateman Herman        268510
Linda Gause                  82121
Kathryn Gillette             202985
Catherine Gitchell           82123
Louis Gitchell, Jr.          268491
Christine Gitchell           200563
Cathy Reiner Godwin          82122
Cliff Godwin                 268488
Pamela Goldader              269147
Judith Grafing               82124
Richard Grafing              268487
Alice Grimes                 82125
Mary Grubb                   268463
Tamara Guslander             82126
Charles Guslander            268483
Carol Hawkins                268461
Ruby Haywood                 82127
Christen Hearn               82128
Melvin Hearn                 268482
Eloise Hebert                268508
Christine Henshaw            82129
Gail Hertzler Buehler        203022
George Buehler               268515
Pam Heselgrave               199804
Karin Hoffman                276494
Gayle Holm                   202995
Joanne Huffman               268507
David Huffman                268480
David Huffman                200543
Lori Inglis                  151878
Rose Anne Jacobs             4556
Rhonda Jared                 82130
Cathy Jensen                 82238
Pam Jensen                   82204
Christy Johnson              82198
Deborah Johnson              69841
Dale Johnson                 214683
Karren Johnson               82199
Linn Johnson                 268478
Elaine Jones Donovan         82200
Helen Jones                  203043
L.C. Jones                   268476
Patricia Jordshaugen         203042
Lucinda Karlic               82201
Stefan Karlic                268470
Donna Kirby                  82188
Clyde Kirby                  268468
Janice Knudsen               82208
Ruth Korkowski               82186
Shirlee Krumplemann          269164
Maria Krzeszowski            203000
Mieczyslaw Krzeszowski       275715
Sandy Lasicka                82202
Bonnie L. Wasserman          82203
Janet LaWall                 82195
Winnie Sue Lee               82196
Linda LeFebvre               202998
Carmen Leuschner             268504
Robert Leuschner             268466
Molly Linderoth              82197
Charlene Linvog              268505
Dixie Llewellin              82190
Dave Llewellin               268464
Janna Gingras (fka London)   82191
Linda Look                   82192
Sharron Loveall              228981
Shannon Lowe                 130082
Kathy Lumsden                203041
Nancy Lyon                   82193
Linda Magnuson               82118
Carol Mahony                 202994
Cindy Mahugh                 268457
Barbara Maine                82119
Margaret Mamon               82120
Tony Mamon                   268442
Karen Manning                82108
Debra Marcus                 104289
Kathy Mare                   82110
Margaret Maredza             82111
Diane Strayer (fka Martin)   82112
Jane Martin                  82133
Richard Martin               268441
Shirley Martinez             268417
Nina Mason                   56672
David Mason                  268436
Laine Jill McClellan         268412
Sue McCracken                126795
Veronica McCrearyOliver     82113
Kenneth Oliver               268462
Constance McDowell           268502
Petra (Peggy) McIntyre       203024
Karen Meola                  202999
David Meuli
Jodi Miasnik                 82116
Stephanie Lieb Migdal        82117
Gerald Migdal                268529
Gwendolyn Miller Juleff      82184
Rose Miller                  178415
Beverly Mills                82183
Marla Mobley                 82160
Shelia Mohn                  82182
Valerie Moore                275747
Maggie Morales               96003
Gloria Morris                269154
Lorena Mrachek               202986
Kathleen MunroMcNeill       82181
Richard MunroMcNeill        268528
Debra Nelson                 82180
Victoria Nomikos Blair       82179
Hazel Norbury                203163
Jackie O'Ryan                82189
Johnnie Clay Paradiso        203015
Margaret Parent              116882
Sarah Parrington             82178
Rosalie Passarelli           82177
Carmella Patterson           82176
Samuel Patterson             268432
Sue Peet                     215683
Christina Peterson           275765
Christine Peterson           82239
Walter Peterson              268430
Shirley Peterson             145090
Barbara Phair                269160
Heidi Pierotti               82240
Alberta Plate Franco         82242
Pat Premel                   268497
Steve Premel                 268429
Susan Pupera                 82231
Deloris Ragazzo              202990
Victoria Raider Romero       275760
DiAnne Rainard               82233
Marty Reeh                   97855
Deborah Rennick              268142
Debra Porter Rettman         203027
Peter Rettman                275758
Eula Rials                   82159
Margaret Richards            88274
June Richey                  203028
Lloyd Richey                 275716
Deja Robins                  82234
Valorie Robinson Jensen      82223
Sandra Roose                 19657
Angela Rose                  268493
Crystal Rose                 203003
Sharon Rossmeier             82224
Demetra Rouvas               82225
Julie Ryan                   82226
Connie Samp                  82158
Donna Sanders                268490
David Sanders                268426
Susan Sasnett                82227
Jay Sasnett                  268424
Deborah Brown Saxton         268448
Lisa Schanz                  82228
Allahna Schriver             82229
Sharon Seal                  82157
Dianne Seibold               82230
Horst Seibold                268422
Teresa Selfe                 82217
Eilene Sharp                 82151
Kathleen Shelby              82219
Ruby Shumate                 82220
Donnell Shumate              268420
Shirley Shumway              43185
Michael Shumway              268525
Sally Siddiqi                82221
Donna Siler                  82222
Marilyn Skone                203014
Wanda Slater                 268489
Jacqueline Smith             82216
Donald Smith                 268418
Kathleen Smith               268486
Robert Smith                 268474
Judith Smith                 82215
Tim Smith                    268415
Deborah Snyders              82152
Anke Spencer                 268485
Don Spencer                  268437
Colleen Still                227825
Deborah Stoffel              82214
Jackie Stone                 141320
Savana Swain                 202997
Clifford Swain               268435
Renee Swanson                82194
Carol Sycks                  82213
Robert Sycks                 268434
Kathy Syrdal                 82212
Phil Syrdal                  268431
Ann Tabasinske               89787
Gary Tabasinske              7170
Kay Tamura                   82211
Steven Tamura                268428
Margaret Taplin              268445
Deborah Tegelberg            202984
Claudeen Tobiason            82205
Jodi Tranter                 203025
Frank Tranter                268427
Erma Turner                  32831
Kathryn Ulrich               268409
Vicik Urias                  82206
Magic VanAusdal              268408
Vicki Volkersz               82254
Marilyn Waara                275726
Elizabeth Walton Kilner      82253
Teresa Ward                  236256
Kathleen Warren              82251
Donald Warren                268524
April Weber                  82252
Chriss Webster               21897
Karolyn Webster              268443
Gloria White                 82250
Donald White                 268425
Lynda Williams               82187
Linda Lee Wilson Cashaw      82249
Susan Wilson                 203030
Janet Lee Winston            203013
Mary Winters                 268484
HazelJean Wolbert           202996
Dyanna Wolcott               82247
William Wolcott              268423
Ardyth Wuori                 82248
Penny Wykes                  82246
Sherry York                  82245
Gary York                    268421
Carolyn Young                31271
Diane Young                  275763
Linda Young                  82244
Joyce Zaborowski             82241
Sgt. Daniel Zaborowski       268419
Greg Ross                    268526
881763        Alexia Anderson              225182
Barbara Anderson             231938
Philip Anderson              268170
Paula C. Bannow              11228
John Bannow                  271718
Diana R. Beard               10440
Robert Davis Beard           271192
Sherry Bergman               15385
Charles Bergman              271992
Marsha Brown                 71237
Jeannette Bulinski           15584
Gregg Gundersen              272541
Wendy R. Busch               10864
Lillian Castillo             122920
Elizabeth Chamberlayne       48517
Carol Cooke                  10446
Donna Cornelisse             15383
Denise Crowell               10865
Mike Crowell                 271721
Jacki Dasso                  10454
John Thompson                271720
Sharon Ebert                 223890
Dennis Ebert                 271532
Laura B. Emerson             16301
Gary S. Emerson              263135
Carol Evans                  11339
Dennis S. Evans              271538
Melinda F. Evans             10448
Hawley Roger Evans           272532
Carla Magdanz Everett        15585
Barbara Ferguson             10862
Charles Ferguson             262197
Nancy C. Franz               15382
Roger A. Franz               258077
Julia Bloch Frey             163423
Janette S. Gamet McMahon     11344
George McMahon               272764
Mary C. Graham               15386
Ronald Graham                274584
Xenia Graves                 11341
Cheryl A. Gruse              11334
Roberta Guildner             10501
Ava Hamilton                 11343
Delmar Hamilton              262660
Delores M. Haro              228508
Lori Haugland                206197
Mary R. Hein                 16655
William Hein                 272766
Janet Heitzmann              10449
Mary Frances Hilko           243918
Lucy Judson                  10444
Craig Alan Yeager            272765
Betty Kenzel                 10443
Richard E. Kenzel            263118
Judy Kurtz                   10452
Judith Lavezzi               6088
Susanne Leuthauser           11337
Truman Leuthauser            262311
Harriet Elizabeth Mann       223977
Sharon L. Mazotti            223979
Daniel Mazotti               268168
Sandra R. Merrill            10451
Roy R. Merrill               262312
Laurel Ruth Mifflin          255908
John Mifflin                 273601
Nathan Mifflin               254594
Sandra D. Miller             11342
John K. Miller               268162
Peggy Morgan                 11336
Barbara R. Nowak             10445
Mary Ann Perkins             10447
Russell Perkins              263117
Ravonda L. Potter            10450
Roger Jay Potter             271533
Kathy Quinton                16300
Judith Anne Ramsay           10442
Charles E. Ramsay            271723
Pamela S. Reiter             11340
Peter Reiter                 274587
Ella Ruth Rogers             9295
Elaine Rogers                16298
Donis Rogers                 265558
Christine Seiffert           171920
Stefanie Selden              9271
Judy Sheppard                25992
M. Lee Sheppard              268166
Jessica A. Simkulet          11335
Janet Singletary             16654
Roger Singletary             268167
Evelyn M. Snyder             16302
Andrew Snyder                15387
Marcia Steel                 16303
Mary Stewart                 15387
Charles D. Stewart           265520
Karon Tiger                  234904
Thelma L. Tilman             236252
Durcille Trolinger           206281
Jo Susan Verspohl            13063
Ronald Verspohl              272554
Carol J. Waltz               16299
Ronald F. Waltz              268165
Kathleen A. Watson           199542
Larry Watson                 291814
Abby Weinstein               166871
Barry Weinstein              258076
Diane West                   10408
Martha Whitehead             199551
Marlyin Wilson               25436
Vicki Woodard                10441
Tom George                   171536
Deirdre J. Zietz             15384
Leonard E. Zietz             260920
Rebecca L. Adair             239633
Gary A. Adair                239634
Sharon C. Angel              145182
Gene R. Angel                304529
Katharine K. Beattie         106539
Fareda E. Belcher            239629
Floyd Belcher                106540
Linda M. Black               239635
William R. Black             239636
Mary A. Bonner               37245
Robert I. Bonner             239637
Johnsie C. Brown             117778
Joseph T. Brown, Jr.         326617
Vicki L. Brown               106541
Randy L. Brown               106542
Juanita L. Brown             106543
Shirley Mae Burroughs        106550
Robert Burroughs             106551
Beverley Davisson            106544
William A. Davisson          106545
Jason W. Davisson            106546
Debra G. Dean                12776
Mary Ann Evertson            106547
Robert W. Evertson           106548
Sandra L. Flynn              106549
Joyce Frieders               106569
Charles D. Frieders          106570
Patricia Graber              269036
Patricia J. Heuseveldt       239639
Ronald W. Heuseveldt         239640
Heather Hull                 106571
Kenneth L. Hull              106572
Patty E. Hutton              106553
Leon D. Hutton               106554
Amy Marie Hutton             106552
Charlotte S. James           269035
Kay M. Kincade               243662
Paul W. Kincade              243663
Bonlyn G. Qulick             251829
Anna Louise Luhman           106555
Kersten Males                106575
William Males                106576
Roberta C. Martin            106573
Keith A. Martin              106574
Sarah E. McLeod Kirk         106556
David C. McInnis             106557
Billie Rae Mercer            106558
Sandra J. Mertens            106559
Ronald G. Mertens            106560
Kay Diane Milligan           6205
William D. Milligan          6206
Betsy A. Munson              106577
Judith A. Nichols            106561
James R. Nichols             106562
Kathleen K. Pope             106578
Rita M. Raaf                 106579
Richard D. Raaf              106580
Courtney L. Raaf             106581
Elizabeth W. Rinehart        239641
Richard R. Rinehart          239642
Gaylene P. Schommer          106563
John W. Schommer             106564
Rachel H. Scott              106565
David L. Scott               106566
Janet L. Scott               106582
Janice A. Sell               239643
Steven K. Sell               239644
Fay Annetta Smith            106583
Rhonda J. Smith              212510
Peggy A. Sneegas             239645
Roger A. Sneegas             239646
Rebecca J. Stafford          297307
Sonja G. Sweek               106584
Nancy J. Taylor              106567
Mary Ann Thomas              106585
Steven J. Thomas             106586
Elizabeth E. Tomaszewicz     239648
George R. Tomaszewicz        239649
Patricia Ann Tronsgard       106568
Catherine L. Wood            239630
Joda D. Wright               239631
883602        Alexia Anderson              225182
In Re A.H. Robins Co. Inc., 880 F.2d 769 (4th Cir.1989); In Re A.H. Robins Co. Inc., 88-1755(L) 880 F.2d 709 (Breland settlement) (heard Dec. 6, 1988) (4th Cir.1989); In Re A.H. Robins Co. Inc., 862 F.2d 1092 (4th Cir.1988); In Re A.H. Robins Co. Inc., 846 F.2d 267 (4th Cir.1988); Maressa v. A.H. Robins Co. Inc., 839 F.2d 220 (4th Cir.1988), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 109 S.Ct. 76, 102 L.Ed.2d 53 (1988); Grady v. A.H. Robins Co. Inc., 839 F.2d 198 (4th Cir.1988), cert dismissed, --- U.S. ----, 109 S.Ct. 201, 101 L.Ed.2d 972 (1988); Official Committee of Equity Security Holders v. Mabey, 832 F.2d 299 (4th Cir.1987), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 108 S.Ct. 1228, 99 L.Ed.2d 428 (1988); Beard v. A.H. Robins Co. Inc., 828 F.2d 1029 (4th Cir.1987); In Re A.H. Robins Co. Inc., 828 F.2d 1023 (4th Cir.1987), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 108 S.Ct. 1246, 99 L.Ed.2d 444 (1988); Committee of Dalkon Shield Claimants v. A.H. Robins Co. Inc., 828 F.2d 239 (4th Cir.1987); Van Arsdale v. Clemo, 825 F.2d 794 (4th Cir.1987); Vancouver Women's Health Soc. v. A.H. Robins Co. Inc., 820 F.2d 1359 (4th Cir.1987); In Re Beard, 811 F.2d 818 (4th Cir.1987); and A.H. Robins Co. Inc. v. Piccinin, 788 F.2d 994 (4th Cir.1986), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 876, 107 S.Ct. 251, 93 L.Ed.2d 177 (1986). See addendum for listing of parties and Dalkon Shield claim numbers
We have previously noted the "striking similarity both factually and on the legal issues" of the Robins and Johns-Manville cases. A.H. Robins Co. Inc. v. Piccinin, 788 F.2d 994, 1007 (4th Cir.1986), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 876, 107 S.Ct. 251, 93 L.Ed.2d 177 (1986)
We are not persuaded by the argument that the 5.62% NO votes were from the claimants with the largest claims, that being necessary of course to make up more than one-third of the claims in amount. The argument goes that such claimants have the most to gain from a rejection of the Plan, but that proposition, we think, is not only supported by no evidence, it is not supported by logic, and is no more likely than the fact that the largest claimants have the most to lose by a rejection of the Plan. Indeed, it would seem that the latter is the more likely if one must choose between the two. Appellants take no exception to the findings of the district court that the liquidation value of the company is considerably less than its value in reorganization, and the part allocated to the claims of the Dalkon Shield claimants is considerably less, $2.5+ billion under the Plan as opposed to $1.6+ in liquidation. So, with a rejection of the Plan which resulted in liquidation, the largest claimants would be the biggest losers. We remain convinced, in view of the 94.38% affirmative vote, that had a weighted voting system been practicable and utilized, the required two-thirds in amount would have approved the Plan. It follows that the error, if any, is harmless
We note that the district court's figure was within the range of the second highest estimation--that of Dr. Francine F. Rabinovitz, the expert for Aetna. The district court repeatedly rejected the credibility of the expert for the Dalkon Shield Claimants, the only expert with a higher estimation than Dr. Rabinovitz
All claimants, both class A and B, are seeking to recover for injuries caused by use of the Dalkon Shield. The class B claimants were barred from non-subordinated recovery from the trust fund set up by the debtor generally because they failed to file in time. They turned to alternative defendants, which they allege are joint-tortfeasors, for recovery for their Dalkon Shield claims
In addition to the $100,000,000 total of the Outlier policies, if there is excess coverage under the $250,000,000 Primary Excess Policy, it becomes an excess layer policy to the Outlier policies. This, as well as the participation of class B claimants in any excess of the trust fund, provides possible additional layers of protection to the class B claimants. Since there is no challenge to the adequacy of the funds made available to class B claimants we do not address the legal or factual strength of their claims. The district court, in its order approving the Breland settlement, found the claims against Aetna to be weak both factually and legally
There are approximately 111,000 class B claims, and only 2,960 exercised their right to opt-out
Subsection (a)(3) deals with community property of spouses and is not applicable
The court did not decide the issue but assumed without deciding there was a jurisdictional question under Sec. 524 as to the authority of the bankruptcy court to release non-debtors. Republic Supply Co. v. Shoaf, 815 F.2d 1046, 1051 at n. 5. (5th Cir.1987)