2006 Archive

Now Accepting Claims

Posted 10/16/2006:

The J.T. Thorpe Settlement Trust is now accepting claims. Please see below for filling electronically and procedures re: filing fees. Please note, claims submitted without the proper filing fees will not be transferred into our claims processing system.

Electronic Claims Submissions

The electronic claim packet consists of an Electronic Claim Template ("ECT"), which is a Microsoft Access version of the Trust claim form, and an Adobe PDF file containing the supporting documents ("SD" file).  Please note, the SD file must be named using a specific naming convention or the entire claim packet will not be transferred into our claims processing system until the Trust manually corrects the file name.  An example of the specific naming convention is as follows:  123456789.SDJ.01 (123456789 represents the social security number of the claimant).

The Trust offers secure file transfer (FTP) accounts for the electronic submission of claims.  For more information on this process, please send your name and telephone number, together with any initial questions to questions@jttstrust.com, and you will be contacted by the Trust's network systems consultant.  To request an FTP account, please send a facsimile to (775) 325-6207 including the following information:

  1. Law firm's name, address, telephone number, and facsimile number
  2. Name and e-mail address of each attorney in the law firm intending to submit claims to the Trust
  3. Name, e-mail address, and telephone number of each person to contact regarding the FTP account
  4. Username and password for the FTP account

The Trust's network systems consultant will follow up with the contact person(s) listed in the facsimile when the FTP account has been created.

As an alternative, the Trust will also accept electronic claims submissions via e-mail to claims@jttstrust.com.  However, the ECT must be compressed (zipped) prior to sending.  The compressed ECT and SD file must be attached to your e-mail.

Procedures re: Filing Fees

Pursuant to Section 6.5 of the Trust Distribution Procedures, a $250.00 filing fee is required per claim.

Procedures – Individual Claimant Processing Fees

  1. If the claim is mailed, a check or money order in the amount of $250.00 payable to J.T. Thorpe Settlement Trust ("Trust") must be enclosed with the claim.
  2. If the claim is submitted electronically, a check or money order in the amount of $250.00 payable to J.T. Thorpe Settlement Trust must be mailed to P.O. Box 3397, Reno, NV  89505 and received by the Trust within seven days of the date the claim is submitted.  If the check or money order does not designate the claimant for which the fee is being paid, an enclosure letter identifying the claimant or a copy of Section 2 of the Claim Form, with a notation on the top, stating "Claim submitted electronically," must be included with the check or money order.
  3. Upon receipt, the check or money order will be deposited and held in a Trust bank account.  The funds will be assigned and held in a separate general ledger receivable account.  No interest will be paid on the amount held.
  4. The $250.00 fee is not refundable if the claim is denied.

  5. The $250.00 fee will be refunded if a claim is approved and paid.  

Procedures – Prepaid Processing Fees

To accommodate firms who expect to submit multiple claims, we offer a prepaid system, which will be maintained as follows:

  1. For example, XYZ Law Firm ("XYZ") expects to represent forty claimants.  XYZ may remit a check payable to J.T. Thorpe Settlement Trust ("Trust") in the amount of $10,000.00.  These funds will be deposited and held in a Trust bank account.  XYZ may also deposit the funds directly in the Trust bank account via wire transfer (wire transfer instructions will be provided upon request).  The funds will be assigned to a separate general ledger receivable account to be used for future claims processing fees for claims submitted by XYZ only.  No interest will be paid on the funds held.
  2. Each time XYZ submits a claim to the Trust on behalf of a claimant, $250.00 will be transferred from the main general ledger account of XYZ to a sub account of XYZ. At such time as XYZ requests, the Trust will provide a written accounting of the funds available.
  3. The $250.00 fee is not refundable if the claim is denied.
  4. The $250.00 fee is eligible to be refunded if a claim is approved and paid.  At that time, the fee will be credited to XYZ's general ledger account to be used for future claims processing fees or refunded to XYZ upon request.
  5. Any funds remaining in XYZ's general ledger account will be refunded upon request

 

J.T. Thorpe Settlement Trust-Claims Processing Seminar Announcement

Posted 9/25/2006:

Your law firm has been identified as an asbestos litigation firm that may be interested in receiving information about  plans for the processing of asbestos claims arising from J.T. Thorpe, Inc, a California Corporation, Thorpe Holding Company; and Thorpe Technologies, Inc.(hereafter J.T. Thorpe, Inc.)

J.T. Thorpe, Inc. emerged from bankruptcy this summer and pursuant to an order of the United States Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California, Los Angeles Division. The J.T. Thorpe Settlement Trust has been created to process the asbestos claims of the entities.   J.T. Thorpe, Inc. was a refractory contractor that did work primarily at Southern California shipyards, oil refineries, power plants, and other major industrial sites.  

This new trust should not be confused with the "J.T. Thorpe Company Successor Trust", which is a bankruptcy trust operating in Texas and is accepting claims for the work of a separate and wholly independent company called JT Thorpe Company, a Texas corporation, which did refractory work in Texas and Louisiana.  

The J.T. Thorpe Settlement Trust (www.jttstrust.com) came into being on June 29, 2006.  It entered into a Trust Facilities and Services Sharing Agreement with the Western Asbestos Settlement Trust in Reno, Nevada (www.wastrust.com).  Under this agreement the J.T. Thorpe Settlement Trust will share the administrative and claim processing services and facilities with the current Western Asbestos Settlement Trust management and staff in Reno, Nevada.  There are significant similarities in the claim processing requirements of the two Trusts and this sharing agreement will result in a more efficient and economical operation for both Trusts for the benefit of both current and future claimants. 

In preparation for accepting claims this fall, the J.T. Thorpe Settlement Trust has scheduled a web-hosted claim processing seminar on September 28, 2006, starting at 11:00 a.m. PDST.  The seminar is expected to last approximately one hour and a half and will focus on a high level overview of the claims processing system, including major distinctions with the Western system.  For those firms that are new to this system approach, please contact the Trust directly to schedule a follow up meeting.   

Beginning on September 25, 2006, participants will be able to access the J. T. Thorpe Settlement Trust claim form, instructions, and site and ship lists on the trust web site listed above.