Wave of Settlements Precede W.Va. Trial
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The number of corporate defendants facing trial in West Virginia over asbestos exposure dwindled dramatically after a last-minute wave of settlements.
Lawyers representing 8,000 people exposed to the deadly agent said an initial roster of 259 defendants had been whittled to fewer than a dozen companies.
Legal sources said the final number could turn out to be less than half a dozen when jury selection begins today. But the biggest defendants, including Exxon Mobil, were still expected to battle it out in court.
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