Gov. John Lynch has vetoed a bill that would have changed the way damages are assessed against defendants in civil lawsuits.

Gov. John Lynch has vetoed a bill that would have changed the way damages are assessed against defendants in civil lawsuits. The bill, House Bill 143, had pitted trial lawyers against insurers, manufacturers, municipalities and the state Attorney General's Office. Current law requires damages to be apportioned among defendants, based on their level of responsibility for injuries or damages. The bill would have allowed juries to assess damages against any defendants remaining in a lawsuit, as long as they had "substantial" fault in the case.