LANSING, Mich. - Lawsuits filed by people alleging exposure to asbestos can no longer be joined together after a divided decision by the Michigan Supreme Court. A group representing manufacturers, insurers and other companies said Thursday that the court's 4-3 order - issued a day earlier - protects seriously ill patients from losing money that also goes to those with nonexistent or less serious symptoms. But plaintiff's lawyers predicted chaos and delay in Michigan courts and accused the high court of trying to fix a problem that doesn't exist. "Everybody's up in arms," said Michael Serling, a Birmingham lawyer who has tried asbestos cases since 1975. Asbestos is a fire-retardant material that was commonly used in construction materials and is made up of fibers that can cause illness, including cancer, when inhaled.