Woman names 65 companies in asbestos case

CHARLESTON -- A St. Albans woman is suing 65 companies she claims are responsible for her late husband's asbestosis and death.

On May 12, 2010, Howard William Barton was diagnosed with asbestosis bilateral, of which he died from on June 10, 2010, according to a complaint filed May 25 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Joan W. Barton claims he husband, who was employed by Union Carbide from 1944 until 1978, was exposed to asbestos and/or asbestos-containing products during his employment.

The defendants are being sued upon theories of negligence, contaminated buildings, breach of expressed/implied warranty, strict liability, intentional tort, conspiracy, misrepresentations and post-sale duty to warn, according to the suit.

Joan W. Barton is seeking a jury trial to resolve all issues involved. She is being represented by Bronwyn I. Rinehart.

The case has been assigned to a visiting judge.

The companies named as defendants are 3M Company; A.W. Chesterton Company; Aurora Pump Company; Brand Insulations, Inc.; Buffalo Pumps, Inc.; BW IP, Inc.; Carrier Inc.; Carrier Corporation; Certainteed Corporation; Chicago Pump Company; Cleaver-Brooks Company, Inc.; Crane Company; Crown, Cork & Seal USA, Inc.; Dezurik, Inc.; Dow Chemical Company; Durabla Manufacturing Company; Eaton Corporation; Elliott Turbo Machinery Company, Inc.; Flowserve US, Inc. f/k/a Flowserve FSD Corporation f/k/a Durametallic Corp.; Flowserve US, Inc. f/k/a Durco International, Inc.; FMC Corporation; Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation; General Electric Company, Inc.; General Refractories Company; Georgia Pacific Corporation; Goulds Pumps, Inc.; Grinnell, LLC; Honeywell International; IMO Industries, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll-Rand Company; ITT Corporation; John Crane, Inc.; Lockheed Martin Corporation; McJunkin Corporation; Met-Pro Corporation; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; Mueller Steam Specialty; Nagle Pumps; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; Ohio Valley Insulating Company, Inc.; Owens-Illinois, Inc.; Peerless Pumps; Premiere Refractories, Inc.; Rapid American Corporation; Riley Power, Inc.; Rockwell Automation, Inc.; Roper Pump Company; Schneider Electric USA, Inc.; State Electric Supply Company; Sterling Fluid Systems (USA), LLC; Sundyne Corporation; Superior Welding Company; Taco, Inc.; Tasco Insulations, Inc.; UB West Virginia, Inc.; Union Carbide Chemical & Plastics Company; Uniroyal, Inc.; Viacom, Inc.; Viking Pump, Inc.; Vimasco Corporation; Weil-McLain Company; West Virginia Electric Supply; Yarway Corporation; and Zurn Industries, Inc.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 11-C-859