July 23, 1999 — Aetna (NYSE: ΑET) issued the following statement in response to a
defamation lawsuit by Southern California attorney Michael J. Bidart, who represented
Teresa Goodrich in her suit against Aetna U.S. Healthcare of California. Attorney Michael Bidart reportedly is filing a lawsuit in Superior Court in
California accusing Aetna Chairman Richard Huber and Aetna of defamation regarding a
statement Mr. Huber made to a newspaper in connection with the Goodrich case. Below is
Aetna's statement.
Mr. Huber has stated publicly that he regards his statements made in the
heat of the moment after hearing the Goodrich jury's verdict as intemperate and has
expressed his regrets to Mrs. Goodrich. These statements reflect Mr. Huber's frustration
with the way Aetna was unfairly portrayed and with the broader issue of distortions of the
civil justice system that so richly reward some plaintiffs' attorneys.
We are flabbergasted that Michael Bidart has chosen to file a defamation lawsuit
against Aetna and Mr. Huber over a single phrase in a news story. In his suit, he claims
to fear that he will be shunned by the legal community and haunted throughout his career.
This reaction seems excessive, especially since we understand he recently was nominated
for Trial Lawyer of the Year. We, therefore, believe that this action has little merit,
intend to vigorously oppose it and expect to prevail if it ever comes to
trial.
