High Court: Exclusivity Did Not Bar Workers' Occ. Disease Claims

The Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act's exclusive remedy does not bar the tort claims of former employees who developed occupational diseases more than 300 weeks after leaving their employment, the state Supreme Court ruled. Case: Tooey v. AK Steel Corp., Nos. J-38A-2012, J-38B-2012 and J-38C-2012, 11/22/2013, published.Facts: John Tooey worked for Ferro Engineering, as an industrial salesman of asbestos products, from 1964 until 1982. In December 2007, Tooey developed mesothelioma and died less than one year later.Spurgeon Landis worked for Alloy Rods from 1946 until 1992. H...