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. .