Two couples name multiple companies in asbestos-related cases

CHARLESTON -- Two couples are suing multiple companies in separate asbestos-related lawsuits.

Robert L. Wood and Candice J. Wood, of Wheeling, W.Va., named 125 companies, and John D. Kontra Sr. and Mary Ann Kontra, of Glendale, Ariz., named 67 companies involved in their separate suits, according to complaints filed Jan. 19 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Mr. Wood and Mr. Kontra claim they were exposed to asbestos products of the defendants while working at various job sites over many years.

On Dec. 14, Mr. Wood was diagnosed with mesothelioma. He claims he smoked for six years intermittently in the 1960s. Mr. Kontra was diagnosed with lung cancer July 23. He claims he smoked one and one-half packs per day from 1961 until 2006.

According to both suits, the defendants are being sued for negligence, contaminated buildings, breach of expressed/implied warranty, strict liability, intentional tort, conspiracy, misrepresentations and post-sale duty to warn.

Both couples are suing for trials by jury to resolve all issues concerning their asbestos-related cases. They are both being represented by Victoria Antion. The Woods are also being represented by Anne McGinnes and J.D. McMullen.

The cases have been assigned to a visiting judge.

The 125 companies named in the Woods' case are 3M Company; A.O. Smith Corporation; A.W. Chesterton; Allegheny Power Systems; Allied Chemical Corporation; American Electric Power; American Electric Power Service Corporation; Appalachian Power Company; Armstrong International, Inc.; Armstrong Pumps, Inc.; Aurora Pump Company; Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc.; Beazer East, Inc.; Blaw Knox Corporation; Bondex International, Inc.; Brand Insulations, Inc.; Buffalo Pumps, Inc.; Carrier Corporation; Cattrell Companies, Inc.; Certainteed Corporation; Chemtura Corporation; Cleaver-Brooks Company, Inc.; Cameron International Corporation; Copes-Vulcan, Inc.; Crane Co.; Crane Valves North America & Stockham Company; Crown, Cork & Seal USA, Inc.; DeZurik, Inc.; Dravo Corporation; Dunham-Bush, Inc.; Eaton Electrical, Inc.; Evets Electric, Inc.; F.B. Wright Company; F.B. Wright of Cincinnati; F.B. Wright of Pittsburgh; First Energy Corporation; Flowserve FSD Corporation; Flowserve US, Inc.; Flowserve US, Inc., and its Byron Jackson Pump Division; Fluor Corporation; Fluor Enterprises; FMC Corporation; Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation; Gage Company; Garlock, Inc.; General Electric Company; General Refractories Company; George V. Hamilton, Inc.; Georgia Pacific Corporation; Gorman-Rupp Company; Goulds Pumps; Grinnell Corporation; H.E. Neumann Co.; Hercules, Inc.; Honeywell International, Inc.; Huffman-Wolfe Company; I. U. North America, Inc.; IMO Industries, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll-Rand Company; ITT Corporation; J.W. Danforth Company; John Crane, Inc.; Lennox Industries, Inc.; Leslie Controls, Inc.; Lewis Peter Plumbing and Heating; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Mallinckrodt, Inc.; McJunkin Corporation; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; Milwaukee Valve Company; Mobay Chemical Corporation; Monongahela Power Company; Mueller Steam Specialty; National Service Industries, Inc.; Nibco, Inc.; O.C. Keckley Company; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; Oakfabco, Inc.; Ohio Valley Insulating Company, Inc.; Ohio Power Company; Ormet Corporation; Owens-Illinois, Inc.; Peerless Boilers Company; Peerless Pumps, Inc.; Pneumo Abex Corporation; Power City Plumbing & Heating Co.; Power Piping Company; Premier Refractories, Inc.; Rapid American Corporation; Riley Power, Inc.; Rockwell Automations, Inc.; Rust Constructors, Inc.; Rust Engineering & Construction, Inc.; Rust International, Inc.; Ruthrauff Sauer, LLC; Shaw Group; Smith Cast Iron Boilers; Spirax Sarco, Inc.; Square D Company; Standco Industries, Inc.; Sterling Fluid Systems (US), LLC; Stone & Webster, Inc.; Surface Combustion, Inc.; Taco, Inc.; Tasco Insulations, Inc.; Taylored Industries, Inc.; Townsend & Bottum, Inc.; Trane U.S., Inc.; UB West Virginia, Inc.; United Engineers & Constructors, Inc.; Viacom, Inc.; Vimasco Corporation; Virginia Electric Power Company; Washington Group International; Watson McDaniel Company; Warren Pumps; Weil-McLain Company; West Penn Power Company; White Consolidated Industries, Inc.; WMX Technologies, Inc.; Wyeth Holdings Corporation; Yale Materials Handling Corporation; Yarway Corporation; and Zurn Industries, Inc.

The 67 companies named in the Kontras' case are 3M Company; A.W. Chesterton; Ajax Magnethermic Corporation; Allied Glove Corporation; Allied Mineral Products, Inc.; Aurora Pump Company; Beazer East, Inc.; Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc.; Brand Insulations, Inc.; Certainteed Corporation; Cleaver-Brooks Company, Inc.; Columbus McKinnon Corporation; Crane Co.; Dravo Corporation; Eaton Electrical, Inc.; Elliott Turbo Machinery Company; F.B. Wright Company; Flowserve FSD Corporation; Flowserve US, Inc.; FMC Corporation; Ford Motor Company; Foseco, Inc.; Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation; Garlock, Inc.; General Electric Company; George V. Hamilton, Inc.; Goodrich Corporation; Goulds Pumps; Hercules, Inc.; Honeywell International, Inc.; I. U. North America, Inc.; IMO Industries, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll-Rand Company; Insul Company, Inc.; ITT Corporation; Joy Global, Inc.; Kelsey-Hayes Company; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Mallinckrodt, Inc.; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; Morgan Engineering, Inc.; Nagle Pumps, Inc.; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; Oglebay Norton Company; Owens-Illinois, Inc.; P&H Mining Equipment, Inc.; Pneumo Abex Corporation; Premier Refractories, Inc.; Rapid American Corporation; Reading Crane; Reliance Electric Company; Rockwell Automations, Inc.; Square D Company; Sterling Fluid Systems (US), LLC; Tasco Insulations, Inc.; Taylored Industries, Inc.; Sager Corporation; Rust Engineering Company; Thiem Corp.; TRW Automotive U.S., LLC; UB West Virginia, Inc.; Uniroyal, Inc.; Viacom, Inc.; and Vimasco Corporation.

Kanawha Circuit Court case numbers: 10-C-0091, 10-C-0093