Evans man names 59 defendants in asbestos case

CHARLESTON -- An Evans man is suing 59 companies he claims are responsible for his lung cancer.

On Aug. 10, 2011, Edison Roseberry Hickman was diagnosed with lung cancer, according to a complaint filed Jan. 20 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Hickman claims he was exposed to asbestos and/or asbestos-containing products during his career as a millwright, pipefitter, mechanic and electrician from 1957 until 2008.

The defendants knew or should have known that exposure to asbestos could cause harm to Hickman, according to the suit.

Hickman claims he smoked cigarettes from 1956 until 1992, but then quit.

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

Hickman is seeking a jury trial to resolve all issues involved. He is being represented by Bronwyn I. Rinehart, Victoria L. Antion and Scott A. McGee.

The case has been assigned to a visiting judge.

The 59 defendants named in the suit are A.W. Chesterton Company; Aurora Pump Company; Bechtel Corporation; Borg-Warner Corporation; Catalytic Construction Company; Certainteed Corporation; Cleaver-Brooks, Inc.; Crane Co.; Dravo Corporation; E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co.; Eaton Electrical, Inc.; Flowserve US, Inc. f/k/a Flowserve FSD Corporation; Flowserve US, Inc. f/k/a Durco International, Inc.; FMC Corporation; Ford Motor Company; Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation; General Electric Company, Inc.; Genuine Parts Company; Gordon Gasket & Packing Co.; Goulds Pumps, Inc.; Graybar Electric Company, Inc.; Grinnell, LLC; Hercules, Inc.; Honeywell International; Honeywell, Inc.; IMO Industries, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll-Rand Company; ITT Corporation; Hammel Dahl Valves; John Crane, Inc.; Lockheed Martin Corporation; McJunkin Corporation; Nagle Pumps, Inc.; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; Ohio Valley Insulating Company, Inc.; Owens-Illinois, Inc.; Pneumo Abex Corp.; Premiere Refractories, Inc.; Pritchard Electric Company; Rapid American Corporation; Riley Power Inc.; Rockwell Automations, Inc.; Rust Constructors, Inc.; Rust Engineering & Construction, Inc.; Rust International, Inc.; Schneider Electric; State Electric Supply Company; Sterling Fluid Systems (USA), LLC; Tasco Insulations, Inc.; UB West Virginia, Inc. f/k/a Union Boiler Company; United Engineers & Constructors and Washington Group International; Viacom, Inc.; Viking Pump, Inc.; Vimasco Corporation; Warren Pumps, Inc.; West Virginia Electric Supply Company; Yarway Corporation; and Zurn Industries, Inc.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 12-C-143