Widow names 73 defendants in asbestos case

CHARLESTON – A Hansford woman is suing 73 companies she claims are responsible for her late husband’s lung cancer and death.

Lorenzo Dow Massey was diagnosed with lung cancer, from which he died on Sept. 12, 2011, according to a complaint filed Nov. 2 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Betty Jo Massey claims Lorenzo Massey was exposed to asbestos during his employment as a laborer from 1951 until 1979.

Lorenzo Massey smoked one pack of cigarettes per day from 1955 until 1975, but then quit, according to the suit.

Betty Massey is suing the defendants based upon the theories of negligence, contaminated buildings, breach of expressed/implied warranty, strict liability, intentional tort, conspiracy, misrepresentations and post-sale duty to warn.

Certain defendants are also being sued as premises owners and as Lorenzo Massey’s employers for deliberate intent/intentional tort, according to the suit.

Betty Massey is seeking a jury trial to resolve all issues. She is being represented by Bronwyn I. Rinehart.

The case has been assigned to a visiting judge.

The 73 companies named as defendants in the suit are 3M Company; A.W. Chesterton Company; CBS Corporation; Aurora Pump Company; Brand Insulations, Inc.; Bucyrus International, Inc.; BW/IP, Inc.; Certainteed Corporation; Cleaver Brooks Company, Inc.; Columbus McKinnon Corporation; Copes-Vulcan, Inc.; Crane Company; Crown, Cork & Seal USA, Inc.; DeZurik, Inc.; Dow Chemical Company; Dravo Corporation; Durabla Manufacturing Company; Eaton Corporation; Elliott Turbo Machinery Company, Inc.; FMC Corporation; Flowserve Corporation f/k/a the Duriron Company, Inc.; Flowserve Corporation, as successor-in-interest to Durametallic Corporation; Foseco, Inc.; Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation; Foote Mineral Company; General Electric Company, Inc.; General Refractories Company; Geo. V. Hamilton, Inc.; Georgia Pacific; Goulds Pumps, Inc.; Grinnell Corporation; Hercules, Inc.; Honeywell International f/k/a Allied Signal, Inc. f/k/a Allied Corporation successor-in-interest to Bendix Corporation; Honeywell International, Inc.; IMO Industries, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll-Rand Company; Insul Company, Inc.; ITT Corporation; J.H. France Refractories; John Crane, Inc.; Joy Technologies, Inc.; Lockheed Martin Corporation; McJunkin Corporation; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; Mueller Steam Specialty; Nagle Pumps; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; Oakfabco, Inc.; Oglebay Norton Company; Ohio Valley Insulating Company, Inc.; Owens-Illinois, Inc.; Peerless Pumps; Pneumo Abex Corporation; Premier Refractories, Inc.; Rapid American Corporation; Riley Power, Inc.; Rockwell Automation, Inc.; Rust Engineering & Construction, Inc.; Schneider Electric; State Electric Supply Company; Sterling Fluid Systems (USA); Tasco Insulations, Inc.; Thiem Corp.; UB West Virginia, Inc.; Union Carbide Chemical & Plastics Company; Uniroyal, Inc.; United Engineers & Constructors and Washington Group International; Vimasco Corporation; Weil-McLain Company; West Virginia Electric Supply Company; Yarway Corporation; and Zurn Industries, Inc.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 12-C-2212