Men sue Penn Line Corporation for death

CHARLESTON -- Two men are suing Penn Line Corporation after they claim it is responsible for their family member's death.

Josh Jeffries, a supervisor for Penn Line Corporation, was also named as a defendant in the suit.

On June 9, 2009, Anthony Duffield, who was employed by Penn Line Corporation, was trimming tree limbs around power lines pursuant to the defendants' contract with First Energy Corporation, according to a complaint filed June 6 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Duffield was electrocuted while trimming tree limbs and died, according to the suit.

Phillip Duffield and Dayton Thomas claim Anthony Duffield had to work in extremely unsafe working conditions, which caused his death.

Penn Line required Anthony Duffield to cut and/or trim trees within two feet of energized power lines "with the intent to injure or with the knowledge that injury was substantially certain to occur," according to the suit.

The plaintiffs claim the defendants were negligent.

The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. They are being represented by William M. Tiano and Tammy Bowles Raines.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Louis H. Bloom.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 11-C-918