Tobaco trial lawyers moving in cellphones?
No mass lawsuits yet against mobile firms - FT
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LONDON, Dec 29 (Reuters) - U.S. lawyer Peter Angelos's firm
has denied that it has already formulated a plan to file a
series of actions against mobile phone companies next year, the
Financial Times reported on Friday.
Angelos was reported by Britain's Times newspaper on
Thursday to be planning to launch 10 claims on behalf of U.S.
brain tumour victims against handset manufacturers, mobile
network operators and fixed-line phone companies.
Verizon Wireless , the largest U.S. mobile operator,
would be named in nearly all of the actions, the newspaper said.
Although the Times report achieved prominence on Thursday,
the FT said it had emerged earlier this month that Angelos -- a
veteran of successful mass legal actions against asbestos and
tobacco companies -- had started to train his sights on the
potential health risks of using mobile handsets.
Angelos had yet to start any legal cases and his son, Louis
Angelos, denied this week that their law firm had already
formulated a plan to file a series of actions against wireless
companies next year, the FT said.
However, the fact that Angelos had turned his attention to
wireless companies should have set alarm bells ringing in the
mobile communications world, the newspaper said.
It said that with nearly $1 billion due to his firm from its
involvement in litigation against the tobacco industry, Angelos
would have the sort of resources needed to support a nationwide
legal challenge in the United States.
Earlier this month, his firm emerged as a co-counsel on the
biggest case yet brought against over the health issue, a $800
million claim filed last August by Baltimore neurologist
Christopher Newman, the FT said.
The case was brought against Motorola , the largest
U.S. handset manufacturer, as well as Verizon Wireless and SBC
Communications and two U.S. industry trade associations.
There has been concern among some mobile phone users that
radiation from handsets couldcause brain tumours, despite
research that has failed to find any link.
Britain's Vodafone Group Plc , which owns 45 percent
of Verizon, said UK government-sponsored research published this
year gave mobile phones a clean bill of health.
Company spokesman Mike Caldwell said he did not know of any
legal cases that named Vodafone directly, but it would defend
itself very vigorously if necessary.
Vodafone's shares dropped 1.9 percent at the close on
Thursday after publication of the Times report.
REUTERS
Rtr 21:52 12-28-00 |
