CHARLESTON -- A Letart woman is suing 78 companies after she claims they are responsible or her late husband's lung cancer and death.
Norman Gene Leget was diagnosed with lung cancer on March 23, 2009, and died on April 4, 2009, according to a complaint filed Feb. 4 in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Leget was employed by American Electric Power from 1962 until 1996, according to the suit.
Leget's wife, Esther Marie Leget, claims her husband was exposed to asbestos during his employment, which caused his lung cancer.
Mrs. Leget claims the defendants failed to advise her husband of the dangers of asbestos; failed or omitted to provide Mr. Leget with the knowledge as to what would be reasonably safe and sufficient apparel and protective equipment; failed to place warnings on containers of asbestos; did not recommend methods to improve the work environment; did not develop alternative products; and continued to use a known cancer-causing product.
Mrs. Leget is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is being represented by Brian A. Prim.
The case has been assigned to a visiting judge.
The 78 defendants named in the suit are A.O. Smith Corporation; A.W. Chesterton Company; Allied Glove Corporation; American Electric Power Company, Inc.; American Electric Power Service Corporation; American Optical Corporation; Appalachian Power Company; Armstrong International, Inc.; Armstrong Pumps, Inc.; Aqua-Chem, Inc.; Atlas Industries, Inc.; Beazer East, Inc.; Brand Insulations, Inc.; Cashco, Inc.; Catalytic Construction Company; CBS Corporation; Champlain Cable 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; Foster Wheeler Corporation; General Electric Company; George V. Hamilton, Inc.; Goulds Pumps, Inc.; Greene Tweed & Company; Grinnell, LLC; Honeywell, Inc; Hunter Sales Corporation; IMO Industries, Inc.; I.U. North America, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll-Rand; ITT Corporation; Joy Technologies; M.S. Jacobs & Associates, Inc.; Marley Cooling Tower; Mallinckrodt Group, Inc.; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; McJunkin Red Man Corporation; Milwaukee Valve Company; Minnotte Contracting Corporation; Nagle Pumps, Inc.; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; Ohio Power; Ohio Valley Insulating Company; Owens-Illinois, Inc.; Plotkin Brothers Supply, LLP; Powell Valve Company; Power Piping; 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; Tasco Insulation, Inc.; Townsend & Bottum, Inc.; Treco Construction Services, Inc.; UB West Virginia, Inc.; Unifrax Corporation; Union Carbide Corporation; United Conveyor Corporation; Vimasco Corporation; Washington Group International; WMX Technologies, Inc.; Yarway Corporation; And Zurn Industries, Inc.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 11-C-201
Letart woman claims 78 companies responsible for husband's death
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