Wyoming school board approves $230K asbestos settlement

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) - A pending lawsuit was settled with a Wyoming school board after they agreed to pay $230,000 over asbestos exposure at Kelly Walsh High School in Casper.

The Natrona County school board approved the payment Monday, and said money would come from the board's priority funds, Casper Star-Tribune reported Tuesday.

"The settlement is less than the exposure at trial, the district is not admitting liability," Superintendent Steve Hopkins said, "and by settling the district reduces the ultimate attorney fees and defense costs which could approach as high as one-half of the verdict value; exposure which cannot and will not be compensated by any third-party payor (sic)."

The details of the litigation are unclear. No active litigation is available in court documents.

The district has dealt with asbestos in other school buildings including at Midwest School, Crest Hill Elementary and Grant Elementary.

Exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, which is an aggressive disease that is often incurable, although treatment exists, health officials said.