Putnam couple names 81 defendants in asbestos case

CHARLESTON -- A Putnam County couple named 81 defendants in their asbestos case, claiming they caused a mesothelioma diagnosis.

James R. Edwards was employed by Union Carbide Corporation from 1948 until 1980, according to a complaint filed Nov. 5 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

During the course of his employment, Edwards claims he was exposed to various types of asbestos products.

The 81 defendants manufactured, assembled, supplied, distributed and/or sold the asbestos containing products, according to the suit.

Edwards claims the defendants failed to warn him of the dangers of the products and failed to take reasonable precautions to warn him about the products.

The defendants are responsible for Edwards' mesothelioma diagnosis, according to the suit.

Edwards and his wife, Norma Edwards, are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are being represented by William K. Schwartz.

The case has been assigned to a visiting judge.

The 81 defendants named in the suit are A.W. Chesterton Company; Amchem Products, Inc.; Anchor Packing; Aurora Pump Company; Bayer Cropscience, Inc.; Benjamin F. Shaw Company; 4520 Corp.; Brand Insulations, Inc.; Buffalo Pumps, Inc.; Burns International Services Corporation; BW IP, Inc.; Cameron International Corporation; Catalytic Construction Company; Certainteed Corporation; Cleaver-Brooks Company, Inc.; Crane Co.; Crown Cork & Seal Co., Inc.; the Dow Chemical Company; Dezurik, Inc.; Eaton Electrical, Inc.; Elliott Company; Fisher Controls International, Inc.; Flowserve US, Inc., f/k/a Durco International, Inc.; Flowserve US, Inc., f/k/a Flowserve FSD Corporation; Flowserve US, Inc., a/k/a Nordstrom Valves; FMC Corporation; Ford, Bacon & Davis, LLC; Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation; Foster Wheeler U.S.A. Corporation; the Gage Company; General Electric Company; George V. Hamilton, Inc.; Georgia Pacific, LLC; Gordon Gaskets & Packing Co.; Goulds Pumps, Inc.; Greene Tweed & Company; Henry Vogt Machine Company; Honeywell International, f/k/a Allied Signal, Inc.; Honeywell International, Inc.; IMO Industries, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll Rand Company; Invensys Systems, Inc.; ITT Corporation; John Crane, Inc.; Lockheed Martin Corporation; 3M Company; McJunkin Corporation; McNally Industries; Met Pro Corporation; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; Meuller Steam Specialty; Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company; Nagle Pumps, Inc.; National Service Industries, Inc.; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; North Bros., Inc.; NSI Ventures, Inc.; Ohio Valley Insulating Company, Inc.; Onyx Industrial Services, Inc.; Owens Illinois, Inc.; Peerless Pumps, Inc.; Perkinelmer Instruments; Pneumo Abex Corporation; Rapid American Corporation; Riley Power, Inc.; Rockwell Automations, Inc.; Roper Pump Company; Schneider Electric USA, Inc.; SFB Companies, Inc.; State Electric Supply Company; Sterling Fluid Systems (USA), LLC; Stockham Valves & Fittings; Surface Combustion, Inc.; Tasco Insulations, Inc.; the Gorman-Rupp Company; the William Powell Company; Tyco Flow Control Company, LLC a/k/a Crosby Valve, Inc.; Tyco Flow Control Company, LLC a/k/a Lunkenheimer Valves; UB West Virginia, Inc.; Union Carbide Corporation; Uniroyal, Inc.; Viacom, Inc.; Viking Pump Company; Vimasco Corporation; Waukesha Cherry-Burrell; West Virginia Electric Supply; and Zurn Industries, Inc.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 10-C-1996