This Just In: Kanawha County

Dec. 11
Jerry L. Rice Sr. v. A&I Company, et al
PA – Victoria L. Antion; J – Visiting
* Jerry L. Rice filed a suit against 72 companies, claiming they are responsible for exposing him to asbestos. Rice now has mesothelioma. He worked at various jobsites in West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and Michigan from 1965 to 2000. Rice claims he breathed in harmful asbestos dust, which caused his lung disease. He seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number: 07-C-2645

Dec. 13
John Page Inghram Jr. v. WV Division of Culture and History, The West Virginia Public Broadcasting Company
PA – Todd W. Reed; J – Stucky
* John Inghram filed a suit against the West Virginia Division of Culture and History after he fell into an elevator shaft before he was supposed to perform with his band. Inghram, an electric bass guitarist with the Bob Thompson Jazz Trio, claims the Cultural Center failed to provide signs directing him to the stage, and failed to mark the elevator shaft. He fell more than 10 feet to the cement floor of the elevator shaft. Inghram had to undergo extensive surgery and had an 18-inch titanium rod implanted in his leg. He seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number: 07-C-2665

Michael Ray Blake v. Adience, Inc., et al
PA – Cindy J. Kiblinger; J – Visiting
* Michael Blake filed a suit against 30 companies, claiming they are responsible for the development of his lung cancer. Blake, who worked for FMC Corporation in Charleston, claims he worked around asbestos and asbestos-containing products. He now has lung cancer, and claims he has suffered damages of body and mind, distress, embarrassment, inconvenience, loss of wages and earning capacity. Blake seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number 07-C-2667

Dec. 14
Harold E. Cox v. A.W. Chesterton Company, et al
PA – Cindy J. Kiblinger; J – Visiting
* Harold E. Cox filed a suit against 39 companies, including DuPont, claiming asbestos in his work environment caused him to develop a lung disease. Cox claims the defendants knew of the dangers associated with asbestos but did not warn their employees or provide safety equipment to combat the asbestos. Cox seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number: 07-C-2669

R.S. Reishman, individually and on behalf of all persons similarly situated v. Audi of America, Inc., OnStar Corporation
PA – John W. Barrett; J – Walker
* Robert Reishman filed a class action lawsuit against Audi and OnStar, claiming his car is now obsolete and has declined in value because his OnStar service no longer works. Reishman owns a 2004 Audi, which was equipped with an analog OnStar service. According to the suit, OnStar changed its service to digital-only Jan. 1, 2008. Reishman's car cannot be upgraded to digital, which he claims has made the value of his car decline. Reishman seeks compensatory and punitive damages as well as declaratory and injunctive relief.
Case number: 07-C-2681

Dec. 17
James G. Farley and Maria Farley v. Argus Energy, LLC doing business as Argus Energy WV, LLC, a corporation, Adam Adkins
PA – Brian L. Ooten; J – Berger
* James G. Farley, of Logan County, filed a personal injury lawsuit against Argus Energy, which owns the mine in which he worked. Farley was working at the Argus mine in Lincoln County as a roof bolter in January 2007. According to the suit, a rock from the roof fell and struck Farley in the head, right arm and leg, causing a broken nose, lacerations to his right arm and leg and nerve damage.
Case number: 07-C-2683

Dec. 18
Deloise Childress, individually and as administratrix of the personal estate of Kent Brewer, deceased v. Sarah Elizabeth Preece, Enterprise Rent-A-Car Company, Myrtle Prince, administratrix of the estate of Bethana Brewer
PA – Andrew S. Nason; J – Bloom
* Deloise Childress filed a suit against a woman who struck and killed her son while he was walking on the side of Interstate 64. Childress is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for her son's estate, from Sarah Preece, who struck Kent and Bethana Brewer after they ran out of gasoline and were walking to the nearest off ramp. Preece was driving a rental car from Enterprise Rent-A-Car, who is also named as a defendant in the suit.
Case number: 07-C-2696