Announcements

Manville: Temporary Policy Update Extension – COVID 2019

Temporary Policy Changes Regarding (a) Release Signatures and (b) Enforcement of Time Limitations

The Trustees of the Manville Trust are aware that these are difficult and unusual times.  Some filers may not be able to meet the requirements for certain Trust claims due to illness, quarantine or shelter in place orders. Therefore, the Trust has extended the prior deadline from June 30, 2021 through August 31, 2021. The following temporary policies will be in place.

  • For releases generated prior to the changes on March 26, 2020, a release document may be signed by the Injured Party or Personal Representative (when the injured party is deceased) and one witness who may be related by blood or marriage.
  • The timeframe for responding to notices of offer, deficiency, deactivation, and withdrawal has been tolled.
  • The statute of limitations period for filing a claim is tolled.

These policy changes are the result of the current pandemic crisis and are designed to provide temporary measures to assure claimants that claims handling will continue during the crisis.

Permanent Policy Changes Regarding Electronic Signatures:

  • The Trust will accept any document requiring a signature that has been signed utilizing DocuSign or other electronic signature software provided the law firm has an electronic filer agreement on file with CRMC.

The Trust is added language to the end of the release on March 26, 2020 so the release need not be notarized or witnessed.

e-Claims Enhancements 4-22-2021

CRMC recently added a feature to the claim page where users can print the claim form. You will notice an “expand and print” option at the top of the page. That will expand all sections where you entered information via a pop-up window and print the entire form. There is also an option to “expand all” which expands the sections. Next to each section that is expandable you will see a + sign. Clicking that option will expand that section for easier viewing. An updated user guide was also posted.

NARCO: COVID-19 Policy Update

In recognition of the continuing hardships resulting from the current COVID-19 pandemic, effective April 21, 2021, the NARCO Asbestos Trust adopts the following (which replaces and supersedes the Trust’s Notice dated February 24, 2021):

The Trust continues its temporary suspension of any requirement that a document submitted to the Trust be notarized. Documents may be submitted to the Trust without notarization as provided below. The Trust continues its temporary suspension of any requirement that a document be witnessed by more than one person or by a person unrelated to the signatory. Documents may be witnessed by one person who may be a family member.

Provided the claimant’s law firm has entered an electronic filer agreement with the Trust and CRMC, the Trust will continue to accept documents signed by DocuSign or by another commercially reasonable e-signature program. Claimants’ law firms should coordinate submission of documents signed by DocuSign or by another commercially reasonable e-signature program with CRMC.

Any statute of limitations deadlines and the deferral period pursuant to TDP Section5.3 are extended from March 23, 2020 (as per the notice dated March 27, 2020) through June 30, 2021. The Trust will assess whether to further extend the statute of limitations deadlines before June 15, 2021 and will give at least five business days’ notice if the Trust determines to further extend the deadlines.

If the COVID-19 pandemic presents an issue with regard to other deadlines,
claimants may defer the claim or seek reconsideration of such claim by selecting the appropriate option in eClaims.

The provisions of this Notice will expire on June 30, 2021.

Manville: Temporary Policy Update Extension – COVID 2019

Temporary Policy Changes Regarding (a) Release Signatures and (b) Enforcement of Time Limitations

The Trustees of the Manville Trust are aware that these are difficult and unusual times.  Some filers may not be able to meet the requirements for certain Trust claims due to illness, quarantine or shelter in place orders. Therefore, the Trust has extended the prior deadline from March 31, 2020 through June 30 2021. The following temporary policies will be in place.

  • For releases generated prior to the changes on March 26, 2020, a release document may be signed by the Injured Party or Personal Representative (when the injured party is deceased) and one witness who may be related by blood or marriage.
  • The timeframe for responding to notices of offer, deficiency, deactivation, and withdrawal has been tolled.
  • The statute of limitations period for filing a claim is tolled.

These policy changes are the result of the current pandemic crisis and are designed to provide temporary measures to assure claimants that claims handling will continue during the crisis.

Permanent Policy Changes Regarding Electronic Signatures:

  • The Trust will accept any document requiring a signature that has been signed utilizing DocuSign or other electronic signature software provided the law firm has an electronic filer agreement on file with CRMC.

The Trust added language to the end of the release on March 26, 2020 so the release need not be notarized or witnessed.

CET Updated COVID-19 Policy

 

The Trust’s temporary COVID-19 policy expires on September 30, 2021.  Please see the Trust’s Updated Policy on Signature and Release Requirements for information regarding the use of electronic authentication programs and other means of document authentication.

Statute of Limitation. At this time, the Trust will continue to enforce deadlines for the filing of claims set forth in the Trust documents. However, in recognition of the inability of many claimants to file their claim on a timely basis as a result of circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trust will extend the applicable limitation period through June 30, 2021 for claims whose limitation period expires on or after March 20, 2020.

Offers. The Trust recognizes the inability of many claimants, as a result of circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic, to respond to offers in the time frame required. As such, where the time to respond to an offer expires on or after March 20, 2020 the Trust will extend the time through June 30, 2021.

Affidavit. In light of current guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trustee recognizes that some claimants may not have access to a notary. The Trust may accept the signature of one witness (related or unrelated) as reliable authentication of an affidavit if the affidavit was executed and submitted to the Trust during the period from March 20, 2020 through June 30, 2021. The Trust will also accept the authentication of affidavits through DocuSign or similar Trust authorized electronic signature program, provided that documentation of the electronic signature history and a certificate from the electronic signature program is submitted with the affidavit. The Trust reserves the right to request supplemental documentation at a later date.

Releases. In light of current guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trustee recognizes that some claimants may not have access to a notary or to two unrelated witnesses for the authentication of releases. The Trust may accept the signature of one witness (related or unrelated) as reliable authentication of a release if the release was executed and submitted to the Trust during the period from March 20, 2020 through June 30, 2021. The Trust will also accept releases executed using DocuSign or similar Trust authorized electronic signature program. If the claimant utilizes DocuSign or a similar Trust authorized electronic signature program, documentation of the electronic signature history and a certificate from the electronic signature program must be provided with the release. The Trust reserves the right to request supplemental documentation at a later date.

NARCO: NARCO Trust – Claim Form and Instruction Updates

The NARCO Asbestos Trust has adopted and posted the following revised claim forms and instructions. [The updated forms and instructions can be found on the NARCO Trust’s Documents page.]

  •  Proof of Claim Form for Unliquidated Claims to be Processed Under Expedited Review
  • Instructions for Completing the NARCO Asbestos Trust Proof of Claim Form for Unliquidated Claims to be Processed under Expedited Review
  • Proof of Claim Form for Unliquidated Claims to be Processed Under Individual Review
  • Instructions for Completing the NARCO Asbestos Trust Proof of Claim Form for Unliquidated Claims to be Processed under Individual Review

NARCO: COVID-19 Policy Update

In recognition of the continuing hardships resulting from the current COVID-19 pandemic, effective February 24, 2021, the NARCO Asbestos Trust adopts the following (which replaces and supersedes the Trust’s Notice dated December 22, 2020):

The Trust continues its temporary suspension of any requirement that a document submitted to the Trust be notarized. Documents may be submitted to the Trust without notarization as provided below. The Trust continues its temporary suspension of any requirement that a document be witnessed by more than one person or by a person unrelated to the signatory. Documents may be witnessed by one person who may be a family member.

Provided the claimant’s law firm has entered an electronic filer agreement with the Trust and CRMC, the Trust will continue to accept documents signed by DocuSign or by another commercially reasonable e-signature program. Claimants’ law firms should coordinate submission of documents signed by DocuSign or by another commercially reasonable e-signature program with CRMC.

Any statute of limitations deadlines and the deferral period pursuant to TDP Section 5.3 are extended from March 23, 2020 (as per the notice dated March 27, 2020) through April 30, 2021. The Trust will assess whether to further extend the statute of limitations deadlines before April 15, 2021 and will give at least five business days’ notice if the Trust determines to further extend the deadlines.

If the COVID-19 pandemic presents an issue with regard to other deadlines,
claimants may defer the claim or seek reconsideration of such claim by selecting the appropriate option in eClaims.

The provisions of this Notice will expire on April 30, 2021.