Two women blame Bayer for injuries from chemical exposure

CHARLESTON – Two women are suing Bayer in separate suits after they claim the plant released chemicals into the air and caused them to become sick.

Bayer Cropscience, AG; Bayer Cropscience Holding, Inc.; Bayer Cropscience, LP; West Virginia Paving, Inc.; Adisseo Manufacturing, Inc.; and Adisseo USA, Inc., were also named as defendants in the suit.

From Oct. 13, 2009, until Oct. 25, 2009, the defendants negligently released into the atmosphere of Institute, one or more toxic gases which Donna Willis and Sue Ferguson Davis ingested while outside of their homes, according to two complaints filed Oct. 12 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Willis and Davis claim they were exposed to and ingested the toxic gases while walking in their residential neighborhoods.

The women sustained severe injuries from the exposure to the toxic gases, according to the suits.

Willis and Davis claim they suffered diminished pulmonary capacity to the extent that they are no longer capable of taking the extended walks they formerly took on a daily basis and suffered pain to their eyes, vaginal bleeding and other gastro-intestinal ailments.

On Oct. 25, 2009, Adisseo Corporation reported it had detected a hydrogen cyanide leaking, but stated it had no knowledge as to how long it had been leaking, according to the suits.

Willis and Davis claim the defendants were negligent in allowing the toxic gases to be released into the air and cause their injuries.

The defendants are liable for any and all damages incurred by Willis and Davis, according to the suits.

Willis and Davis are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are being represented by William V. DePaulo.

The cases have been assigned to Circuit Judges Tod J. Kaufman and Jennifer Bailey.

Kanawha Circuit Court case numbers: 11-C-1837, 11-C-1838