Couple sues 91 defendants for asbestos exposure

CHARLESTON -- A couple is suing 91 companies after it claims it is responsible for exposing them to asbestos during employment.

Richard Packer worked with and/or around products containing asbestos during his working years, according to a complaint filed Dec. 17 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

He and his wife, Janet Packer, claim the defendants knew or should have known that the products containing asbestos would cause serious lung diseases and cancer and failed to take responsible precautions to warn them of the dangers.

The defendants' negligence caused Richard Packer to develop asbestosis and/or other asbestos-related diseases and conditions, according to the suit.

The Packers are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are being represented by Browyn I. Rinehart and Patrick J. Timmins.

The case has been assigned to a visiting judge.

The 91 defendants named in the suit are Accent Bearings Co., Inc.; American Standard, Inc.; American Insulated Wire Co.; A.W. Chesterton Company; Aurora Pump Company; Baldor Electric Company; Belden Wire & Cable Co.; Borg-Warner Corporation; Brand Insulations, Inc.; 3M Company; Carrier Inc.; Carrier Corporation; Certaintced Corporation; Chicago Gasket Company; Cleaver-Brooks Company, Inc.; Columbus McKinnon Corporalion; Crane Co.; Crane Pumps & Systems, Inc.; Crown Cork & Seal USA; IMO Industries, Inc.; DeZurik Co.; DeZurik Water Controls; Dow Chemical Company; Durez Corporation; E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co.; Elliott Turbomachinery Company, Inc.; Exxon Mobil Corporation; F.B. Wright Company; Fairmont Supply Company; Flowserve FSD Corporation, individually and as successor in interest to Durametallic Corporation; Flowserve US, Inc.; Ford Motor Company; Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation; Gardner Denver, Inc.; General Cable Corporation; General Electric Company; Georgia Pacific Corporation; Gordon Gasket & Packing Company; Goulds Pumps; Graybar Electric Company, Inc.; Grinnell Corporation; Honeywell International; IMO Industries, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporations; Industrial Supply Solutions; Ingersoll-Rand Company; ITT Corporation; I.U. North America, Inc.; J.H. France Refractories; John Crane, Inc.; Kentile Floors, Inc.; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Mallinckrodt Group, Inc.; McJunkin Corporation; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; Milton Roy, Inc.; Mine Safety Appliances, Inc.; Monsanto Company; Nagle Pumps, Inc.; National Service Industries Ventures, Inc.; NAPA Auto Parts; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; Oakfabco, Inc.; Ohio Valley Insulating Company, Inc.; Pneumo Abex Corporation; Premiere Refractories, Inc.; Rapid American Corporation; Reliance Electrical Company; Riley Power, Inc.; Rockwell Automation, Inc.; Rockwell International Corporation; Sepco Corporation; Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.; Schneider Electric USA, Inc.; State Electric Supply Company; Tasco Insulation; the Okonite Company; Thiem Corp.; UB West Virginia, Inc.; Union Carbide and Plastics Company, Inc.; Union Carbide Corporation; Uniroyal, Inc., individually and as successor-in-interest to United States Rubber Company; Uniroyal Holding, Inc.; United States Steel Corporation; Viacom, Inc.; Warren Pumps, LLC; Weil-McLain Company; Western Auto Parts; West Virginia Electric Supply Company; Yarway Corporation; and Zurn Industries, Inc.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 10-C-2267