Court Opinion

ID: 9505417
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-06 20:04:28.220517+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:04:27.149681
License: Public Domain

DICKSON, Justice,
dissenting.
Asbestos-related cancer does not manifest itself until ten to twenty-five years after exposure. I believe that the General Assembly, for reasons of compassion, fairness, and justice enacted Indiana Code § 34-20-3-2 to provide relief for all asbestos victims from the general ten-year statute of repose in the Indiana Product Liability Act. Consistent with this legislative intent, I believe that the phrase "persons who mined and sold" means "persons who mined and persons who sold" and that "commercial asbestos" includes not only raw asbestos but also asbestos in commercial products. I further believe that, under the majority's restrictive construction of this section, application of the product liability statute of repose to the plaintiffs claims violates both Section 12 and Section 23 of Article 1 of the Indiana Constitution. My reasons are detailed in AlliedSignal, Inc. v. Ott, 785 N.E2d 1068 (Ind.2003) (Dickson, J., dissenting).
RUCKER, J., concurs.