POLICY REGARDING DOCUMENTATION EXECUTED BY CLAIMANTS

Posted 11/17/2022
The Trust has determined that it will formally adopt for use going forward the following policy changes, which to date have been utilized on a temporary basis during the pandemic.

The Trust will accept electronic signatures on documentation executed by Trust claimants that is submitted by a law firm representing Trust claimants (each a “Document” and, collectively, “Documentation”) pursuant to the following procedure:

1. A law firm representing Trust claimants that intends to submit Documentation electronically signed by claimants must execute and return to the Trust an Agreement to Allow Electronic Signatures on Documentation, attached as Exhibit A (“Electronic Signature Agreement”).  Counsel to Trust claimants must use the fill and sign Adobe feature designated by the Trust, or a commercially available equivalent which produces an electronic signature in .pdf format (each computer program compliant with this policy, an “Electronic Signature Program”), to electronically sign the Electronic Signature Agreement and then must submit it to the Trust via email at support@524gtrust.com.  The Electronic Signature Agreement must be properly executed and returned to the Trust before a law firm representing Trust claimants may submit Documentation electronically signed by Trust claimants.
2. Law firms must execute and return the current form of Electronic Signature Agreement if they wish to submit electronic signatures for any Documentation, including Release and Discharge, and Release and Discharge General (“Releases”) and Affidavit of Successor In Interest (“Successor in Interest Certificates”). All Releases and Successor in Interest Certificates must be submitted to the Trust via email to support@524gtrust.com. Trust claimants and Law firms representing Trust Claimants must also use an Electronic Signature Program to electronically sign Documentation other than Releases and Successor in Interest Certificates.  Counsel to Trust claimants must submit electronically signed Documentation other than Releases and Successor in Interest Certificates to the Trust via the Trust’s online claim processing system. Each Document electronically signed by a Trust claimant, regardless of manner of submission, must be submitted with a complete certificate electronically signed by an authorized person at the law firm representing the Trust claimant in the form set forth in Exhibit B (each, a “Law Firm Certificate”). The same Law Firm Certificate may be submitted with additional Documentation electronically signed by a Trust Claimant, so long as the representations set out in the Law Firm Certificate remain accurate.
3. Trust staff will review all submitted Electronic Signature Agreements, Releases and Successor in Interest Certificates for compliance and, if satisfactory, scan completed Documentation into the Trust’s online claims processing system. Trust staff will also review all other electronically signed Documentation, including all related Law Firm Certificates, submitted by a law firm via the Trust’s online claim processing system and will reject any Documentation that does not meet the requirements of this policy.

Exhibit A- Electronic Signature Agreement
Exhibit B – Certification of Firm Representing Trust Claimant Regarding Client’s Electronic Signature

POLICY REGARDING DOCUMENTATION EXECUTED BY AUTHORIZED LAW FIRM SIGNATORIES

Posted 11/17/2022
The Trust has determined that it will formally adopt for use going forward the following policy changes, which to date have been utilized on a temporary basis during the pandemic.

The Trust will accept electronic signatures on documentation executed by individuals authorized to act on behalf of law firms representing Trust claimants (each a “Document” and, collectively, “Documentation”) pursuant to the following procedure:

1. A law firm representing Trust claimants that intends to sign and submit Documentation electronically must execute and return to the Trust an Agreement to Allow Electronic Signatures on Documentation, attached as Exhibit A (“Electronic Signature Agreement”).  Counsel to Trust claimants must use the fill and sign Adobe feature designated by the Trust, or a commercially available equivalent which produces an electronic signature in .pdf format (each computer program compliant with this policy, an “Electronic Signature Program”), to electronically sign the Electronic Signature Agreement and then must submit it to the Trust via email at support@524gtrust.com.  The Electronic Signature Agreement must be properly executed and returned to the Trust before a law firm representing Trust claimants may submit electronically signed Documentation to the Trust.
2. Law firms must execute and return the current form of Electronic Signature Agreement if they wish to submit electronic signatures for any Documentation, including Certification(s) for Unpaid Claims – Claimed Exposure Post December 5, 1980 and Certification(s) for Unpaid Claims – Claimed Exposure Pre December 5, 1980 (“Medicare Certifications”). All Medicare Certifications must be submitted to the Trust via email containing the language set forth in Exhibit B to support@524gtrust.com. Counsel to Trust claimants must also use an Electronic Signature Program to electronically sign Documentation other than Medicare Certifications.  Counsel to Trust claimants must then submit electronically signed Documentation other than Medicare Certifications to the Trust via the Trust’s online claim processing system.
3. Trust staff will review all submitted Electronic Signature Agreements and Medicare Certifications for compliance and, if satisfactory, scan completed Electronic Signature Agreements and Medicare Certifications into the Trust’s online claims processing system. Trust staff will also review all other electronically signed Documentation submitted by a law firm via the Trust’s online claim processing system and will reject any other Documentation that does not meet the requirements of this policy.

Exhibit A- Electronic Signature Agreement
Exhibit B- Email Language Required for Medicare Certifications

Western Approved Amendment

Posted 11/17/2022
Modifications to the Nineteenth Amendment to and Complete Restatement of Western Asbestos Settlement Trust Agreement were approved by the Trustees, with consent of the Futures Representative and Trust Advisory Committee, as follows:

2.2 (3) General Administration

Costs of fixed assets, which shall be exhausted during the life of the Trust and will not be available for satisfying claims, shall be expensed when incurred. These costs shall include acquisition costs of computer hardware, software, software development, office furniture, and leasehold improvements.

Annual Reports

Posted 04/26/2022
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a hearing on the motion to approve Western Asbestos Settlement Trust’s Eighteenth Annual Report and Accounting is scheduled for Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. before United States Bankruptcy Court Judge, the Honorable Hannah L. Blumenstiel, at the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division, located at 450 Golden Gate Avenue, 16th Floor, San Francisco, California 94102 in Courtroom 19.

Indexed Base Case Values for Economic and Medical Loss

Posted 01/19/2022
The new indexed base cases values for 2022 are as follows:
Economic Loss Base Case- $294,770
Medical Loss Base Case- $339,764
Assumed Future Medical Loss and Funeral Expenses- $127,411

EXTENSION TO THE TEMPORARY POLICY CHANGES REGARDING DOCUMENTATION EXECUTED BY AUTHORIZED LAW FIRM SIGNATORIES

Posted 1/13/2022
In recognition of the ongoing pandemic and the related federal, state and local governmental responses to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Trust has determined that in order to provide for the continuity of operations and to fulfill the primary purpose of the Trust to pay the Trust’s claimants, the Trust will follow the following temporary policy changes:

The Trust will accept electronic signatures on documentation executed by individuals authorized to act on behalf of law firms representing Trust claimants (each a “Document” and, collectively, “Documentation”) pursuant to the following procedure:

1. A law firm representing Trust claimants that intends to sign and submit Documentation electronically must execute and return to the Trust an Agreement to Allow Electronic Signatures on Documentation, attached as Exhibit A (“Electronic Signature Agreement”).  Counsel to Trust claimants must use the fill and sign Adobe feature designated by the Trust, or a commercially available equivalent which produces an electronic signature in .pdf format (each computer program compliant with this policy, an “Electronic Signature Program”), to electronically sign the Electronic Signature Agreement and then must submit it to the Trust via email at support@524gtrust.com.  The Electronic Signature Agreement must be properly executed and returned to the Trust before a law firm representing Trust claimants may submit electronically signed Documentation to the Trust.

2. Law firms must execute and return the current form of Electronic Signature Agreement if they wish to submit electronic signatures for any Documentation, including Certification(s) for Unpaid Claims – Claimed Exposure Post December 5, 1980 and Certification(s) for Unpaid Claims – Claimed Exposure Pre December 5, 1980 (“Medicare Certifications”). All Medicare Certifications must be submitted to the Trust via email containing the language set forth in Exhibit B to support@524gtrust.com. Counsel to Trust claimants must also use an Electronic Signature Program to electronically sign Documentation other than Medicare Certifications.  Counsel to Trust claimants must then submit electronically signed Documentation other than Medicare Certifications to the Trust via the Trust’s online claim processing system.

3. Trust staff will review all submitted Electronic Signature Agreements and Medicare Certifications for compliance and, if satisfactory, scan completed Electronic Signature Agreements and Medicare Certifications into the Trust’s online claims processing system. Trust staff will also review all other electronically signed Documentation submitted by a law firm via the Trust’s online claim processing system and will reject any other Documentation that does not meet the requirements of this policy.

These provisions replace in their entirety those certain Amended Temporary Policy Changes Regarding Medicare Certification COVID-19, as originally posted on March 31, 2020 and amended on April 28, 2020, and are expected to apply until June 30, 2022, or such prior or subsequent date as is determined at the sole discretion of the Trust.  The Trust may revert to its prior policies at any time in its sole discretion.

Exhibit A- Electronic Signature Agreement
Exhibit B- Email Language Required for Medicare Certifications

EXTENSION TO THE TEMPORARY POLICY CHANGES REGARDING DOCUMENTATION EXECUTED BY CLAIMANTS

Posted 1/13/2022
In recognition of the ongoing pandemic and the related federal, state and local governmental responses to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Trust has determined that in order to provide for the continuity of operations and to fulfill the primary purpose of the Trust to pay the Trust’s claimants, the Trust will follow the following temporary policy changes:

The Trust will accept electronic signatures on documentation executed by Trust claimants that is submitted by a law firm representing Trust claimants (each a “Document” and, collectively, “Documentation”) pursuant to the following procedure:

1. A law firm representing Trust claimants that intends to submit Documentation electronically signed by claimants must execute and return to the Trust an Agreement to Allow Electronic Signatures on Documentation, attached as Exhibit A (“Electronic Signature Agreement”).  Counsel to Trust claimants must use the fill and sign Adobe feature designated by the Trust, or a commercially available equivalent which produces an electronic signature in .pdf format (each computer program compliant with this policy, an “Electronic Signature Program”), to electronically sign the Electronic Signature Agreement and then must submit it to the Trust via email at support@524gtrust.com.  The Electronic Signature Agreement must be properly executed and returned to the Trust before a law firm representing Trust claimants may submit Documentation electronically signed by Trust claimants.

2. Law firms must execute and return the current form of Electronic Signature Agreement if they wish to submit electronic signatures for any Documentation, including Release and Discharge, and Release and Discharge General (“Releases”) and Affidavit of Successor In Interest (“Successor in Interest Certificates”). All Releases and Successor in Interest Certificates must be submitted to the Trust via email to support@524gtrust.com. Trust claimants and Law firms representing Trust Claimants must also use an Electronic Signature Program to electronically sign Documentation other than Releases and Successor in Interest Certificates.  Counsel to Trust claimants must submit electronically signed Documentation other than Releases and Successor in Interest Certificates to the Trust via the Trust’s online claim processing system. Each Document electronically signed by a Trust claimant, regardless of manner of submission, must be submitted with a complete certificate electronically signed by an authorized person at the law firm representing the Trust claimant in the form set forth in Exhibit B (each, a “Law Firm Certificate”). The same Law Firm Certificate may be submitted with additional Documentation electronically signed by a Trust Claimant, so long as the representations set out in the Law Firm Certificate remain accurate.

3. Trust staff will review all submitted Electronic Signature Agreements, Releases and Successor in Interest Certificates for compliance and, if satisfactory, scan completed Documentation into the Trust’s online claims processing system. Trust staff will also review all other electronically signed Documentation, including all related Law Firm Certificates, submitted by a law firm via the Trust’s online claim processing system and will reject any Documentation that does not meet the requirements of this policy.

These provisions replace in their entirety those certain Temporary Policy Changes Regarding Electronic Signatures and Direct Mailing of Releases COVID-19, as originally posted on April 29, 2020, and are expected to apply until June 30, 2022, or such prior or subsequent date as is determined at the sole discretion of the Trust.  The Trust may revert to its prior policies at any time in its sole discretion.

Exhibit A- Electronic Signature Agreement
Exhibit B – Certification of Firm Representing Trust Claimant Regarding Client’s Electronic Signature

Timing of Requests for Consideration at Trustees’ Meetings

Posted 01/05/2022
Any requests for revisions to Trust policies or procedures, physician certification, modifications to an approved list, and/or Trust Distribution Procedures/Matrix interpretations or questions to be considered during the Trustees’ meeting must be received by the Trust on or before the deadline, listed below.

For requests to be considered at future Trustees’ meetings, the schedule is as follows:

          Trustees’ Meeting                          Deadline for Requests

          February 2022                               Friday, January 14, 2022

          April 2022                                       Friday, March 11, 2022

          September 2022                            Friday, August 12, 2022

          November 2022                            Friday, October 14, 2022