Two asbestos suits filed jointly

CHARLESTON - Two men who claim to have contracted mesothelioma from years of asbestos exposure have filed joint lawsuits in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Harley Bradley of Vincent, Ohio, and Donald McKown of Murraysville filed the cases April 13 through attorney David Chervenick of Pittsburgh law firm Goldberg, Persky and White.

The joint case file lists 87 defendants, including 13 from West Virginia.

Bradley and McKown both worked at Du Pont Washington Works and are currently stricken with the lung disease mesothelioma, which develops when the lungs are exposed to airborne asbestos fibers.

Bradley's wife Shirley and McKown's wife Rebecca are suing for loss of consortium.

"The Plaintiffs, while employed in their various occupations, were exposed to and did inhale asbestos dust and other dust from products of the defendants, which caused the conditions as hereinafter set forth, resulting in disability," the complaint says. "Each plaintiff's exposures occurred at various places located in the State of West Virginia, as well as exposures elsewhere."

Bradley, 69, worked as a carpenter for Du Pont. McKown, 60, was a mechanic and supervisor.

Those West Virginia companies listed as defendants are: A&I Company of Charleston; Columbia Paint doing business as Columbia Paint Town of Huntington; Cooper Industries of Charleston; Flowserve US in Charleston; FMC in Charleston; General Technologies of Saint Albans; Harnischfeger Corp. of Charleston; Honeywell International of Charleston; Monongahela Power Company of Fairmont; Nitro Industrial Coverings of Washington; National Services Industries of Charleston; UB West Virginia of Nitro; and Vimasco Corp. of Nitro.

A visiting judge will be assigned the case.

The case lists charges against sellers of asbestos, owners of premises that contained asbestos, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company for an alleged cover-up, Owens-Corning Corp. for developing the asbestos product known as Kaylo, Pneumo Abex Corp. for conspiracy and Du Pont.

Kanawha Circuit Court case numbers 06-C-676 and 06-C-677