New Martinsville couple names 95 defendants in asbestos suit

CHARLESTON -- A New Martinsville couple has named 95 companies as defendants in their asbestos suit after they claim the companies are responsible for a mesothelioma diagnosis.

In September, William R. Henthorn I was diagnosed with mesothelioma, according to a complaint filed Oct. 22 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Henthorn and his wife, Eva Louise Henthorn, claim the defendants caused the development of malignant mesothelioma because they exposed him to his asbestos.

Mr. Henthorn was employed at the PPG Natrium Plant in New Martinsville from 1959 until 1977, according to the suit.

The Henthorns are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are being represented by Brian A. Prim.

The case has been assigned to a visiting judge.

The 95 defendants named in the suit are A.O. Smith Corporation; A.W. Chesterton Company; Ajax Magnethermic Corporation; Allegheny Energy, Inc.; Allied Glove Corporation; American Optical Corporation; Armstrong International, Inc.; Armstrong Pumps, Inc.; Aqua-Chem, Inc.; Atlas Industries, Inc.; Bayer Corporation; Beazer East, Inc.; Brand Insulations, Inc.; Cashco, Inc.; Catalytic Construction Company; CBS Corporation; Champlain Cable Corporation; Consolidated Aluminum Corporation; Copes-Vulcan, Inc.; Crane Co.; Crown Cork & Seal Company; Dezurik, Inc.; Dravo Corporation; Durametallic Corporation; Eaton Corporation; Electrolux Home Products; F.B. Wright Company; Fairmont Supply; Flowserve U.S., Inc.; FMC Corporation; Foseco, Inc.; Foster Wheeler Corporation; General Electric Company; Genuine Parts Company; Gentex Corporation; George V. Hamilton, Inc.; Goulds Pumps, Inc.; Greene Tweed & Company; Grinnell Corporation; Hedman Resources Limited; Honeywell, Inc; Honeywell International, Inc.; Hunter Sales Corporation; IMO Industries, Inc.; I.U. North America, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll-Rand; Insul Company, Inc.; ITT Corporation; J.M. Foster, Inc.; Joy Technologies; M.S. Jacobs & Associates, Inc.; Marley Cooling Tower; Mallinckrodt Group, Inc.; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; McCann Shields Paint Company; McCarls, Inc.; McJunkin Red Man Corporation; Milton Roy Company; Milwaukee Valve Company; Minnotte Contracting Corporation; Monongahela Power Company; Nagle Pumps, Inc.; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; Oglebay Norton Company; Ohio Power; Ohio Valley Insulating Company; Owens-Illinois, Inc.; Plotkin Brothers Supply, LLP; Powell Valve Company; Power Piping; PPG Industries, Inc.; Premier Refractories, Inc.; Riley Stoker Corporation; Safety First Industries, Inc.; Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc.; Sealite, Inc.; Spirax Sarco, Inc.; Square D Company; Stockham Valves & Fittings; Sunbeam Products, Inc.; Tasco Insulation, Inc.; Thiem Corporation; Townsend & Bottum, Inc.; Treco Construction Services, Inc.; UB West Virginia, Inc.; Unifrax Corporation; Union Carbide Corporation; United Conveyor Corporation; Vimasco Corporation; Virginia Electric and Power Company, Inc.; Washington Group International; WMX Technologies, Inc.; Yarway Corporation; and Zurn Industries, Inc.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 10-C-1894