Man sues after falling through roof on Johns Manville work site

POINT PLEASANT – An Ohio man is suing over claims he was injured when he fell through a roof while working on a contaminated site.

Derrick George filed a lawsuit Oct. 16 in Mason Circuit Court against Thermal Solutions Inc., Eaves Recycling, Inc. and Structures Resources Inc., citing negligence.

According to the complaint, Structures Resources contracted Thermal Solutions to provide various services in the demolition and deconstruction of the Johns Manville Glass Fiber Manufacturing Plant in Vienna, as part of a state program to remediate contaminated sites.

The complaint states Eaves Recycling was contracted to remove and recycle various materials from the site. George says he was working for Thermal Solutions as an asbestos removal worker at the site Oct. 25, 2012, when he was instructed to enter upon the roof of a building that was not properly supported, and through which a coworker had previously fallen.

The lawsuit states George also fell through the roof and sustained injuries to his abdomen, back and lower extremities. The complaint states the work of Eaves Recycling in the vicinity of George's fall resulted in the weakening of the roof, and Eaves is accused of negligence.

Thermal Solutions is accused of common law negligence, reckless, willful and wanton conduct. Structures Resources is accused of negligent failure to provide George with a safe place to work.

George seeks damages for medical expenses, lost wages and lost earning capacity.

He is represented by attorney Matthew L. Clark of Kayser Layne & Clark in Point Pleasant. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Thomas C. Evans III.

Mason Circuit Court case number: 14-C-169