Woman sues 87 companies for husband's asbestosis, death

CHARLESTON -- A Kanawha County woman is suing 87 companies after she claims they are responsible for her husband's asbestosis and death.

Junior E. Barron was diagnosed with asbestosis and died on June 4, 2010, according to a complaint filed May 5 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Barbara Barron claims the defendants exposed her husband to asbestos and caused his diagnosis.

The defendants failed to properly, adequately and safely label the asbestos products to which Junior E. Barron was exposed, according to the suit.

Barbara Barron is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She is being represented by William K. Schwartz.

The case has been assigned to a visiting judge.

The 87 defendants named in the suit are A.W. Chesterton Company; Amchem Products, Inc.; Aurora Pump Company; Bayer Cropscience LP; Benjamin F. Shaw Company; 4520 Corp., Inc.; 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 USA, 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 lowserve 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; Geo. V. Hamilton, Inc.; Georgia Pacific, LLC; Gordon Gaskets & Packing Co.; Goulds Pumps, Inc.; Greene Tweed & Company; Henry Vogt Machine Company; Honeywell International, Inc., 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.; Veolia Es 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; 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 Company; and Zurn Industries, Inc.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 11-C-729