Asbestos Claims Cost $70 Billion Plus

More than 730,000 people in the United States filed compensation claims for injuries related to asbestos from the early 1970's through 2002 at a cost of more than $70 billion to businesses and insurance companies, according to a new study by the RAND Corporation's Institute for Civil Justice. Here's how the dollar cost breaks down: 42 cents to claimants, 31 cents to defense, and 27 cents to plaintiff's attorneys and other related expenditures.