Four asbestos lawsuits filed in Kanawha Circuit

CHARLESTON - Two attorneys each filed two asbestos lawsuits in Kanawha Circuit Court last week.

David Chervenick of Pittsburgh law firm Goldberg, Persky and White and John Skaggs of Charleston's The Calwell Practice are the two attorneys.

Chervenick filed his lawsuits June 22 on behalf of Albert and Chestene Miller and David Murray.

The Millers name 107 defendants in their lawsuits. Albert Miller was a laborer with the United Steel Workers Association Local 721, working at an industrial site in Kenova that was "owned and operated by various entities including U.S. Steel Chemical, Aristech and Novamont Chemical.

Miller, of Proctorville, Ohio, has mesothelioma, a lung disease related to asbestos exposure. His wife is suing for loss of consortium.

They are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as is Murray.

Murray, 59, was the son of James Murray, who worked at a Wheeling Pittsburg Steel plant in Benwood. David Murray says he was exposed to asbestos fibers that his father brought home on his clothes and has asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Murray, of Bellaire, Ohio, names 108 defendants.

Skaggs is representing Walter and Carolyn Donat and Paul and Mildred Hunt. Their lawsuits were filed jointly and name 42 defendants.

It says the plaintiffs worked as laborers and welders from 1969-1996 and were frequently exposed to asbestos fibers.

Both wives are suing for loss of consortium. Both cases seek compensatory and punitive damages.

Visiting judges will be assigned the cases.

Kanawha Circuit Court case numbers 06-C-1193, 06-C-1198, O6-C-1212 and 06-C-1213