CHARLESTON -- A Hinton woman is suing 41 companies she claims are responsible for her husband's lung cancer and death.
On Dec. 22, 2010, William Y. Steele was diagnosed with lung cancer, from which he died on Nob. 21, 2011, according to a complaint filed July 17 in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Daphene Y. Steele claims he was exposed to asbestos during his employment as a laborer and coal miner from 1965 until 1991.
The defendants failed to warn the plaintiffs about the dangers of asbestos, according to the suit.
Daphene Steele claims the defendants also failed to supply her late husband with proper apparel to wear while handling asbestos.
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.
Daphene Steele is seeking a jury trial to resolve all issues involved. She is being represented by Victoria L. Antion, Scott A. McGee and Bronwyn I. Rinehart.
The case has been assigned to a visiting judge.
The 41 companies named as defendants are 3M Company; A.W. Chesterton Company; Borg-Warner Corporation; Caterpillar, Inc.; Certainteed Corporation; Cleaver-Brooks Company, Inc.; Crane Co.; Dravo Corporation; Eaton Electrical, Inc.; Flowserve FSD Corporation; FMC Corporation; Ford Motor Company; Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation; General Electric Company; Genuine Parts Company; Goulds Pumps, Inc.; Grinnell, LLC; Honeywell International; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll-Rand Company; ITT Corporation; Joy Technologies, Inc.; Maremont Corporation; McJunkin Corporation; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; National Service Industries Venture, Inc.; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; Pneumo Abex Corporation; Protective Treatments, Inc.; Rapid American Corporation; Riley Stoker Corporation; Rockwell Automation, Inc.; Schneider Electric USA, Inc.; Sterling Fluid Systems (USA), LLC; Tasco Insulations, Inc.; The Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Co.; UB West Virginia, Inc.; Uniroyal, Inc.; United Engineers & Constructors and Washington Group International; Viacom, Inc.; and Vimasco Corporation.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 12-C-1389