Cross Lanes widow names 51 defendants in asbestos case

CHARLESTON – A Cross Lanes woman is suing 51 companies she claims are responsible for her late husband’s colon cancer and death.

Michael J. Bush Sr. was diagnosed with colon cancer on Nov. 19, 2010, and he died on Jan. 12, according to a complaint filed Nov. 15 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Gloria Jean Bush claims the 51 defendants exposed her late husband to asbestos and/or asbestos-containing products, which caused his death.

Michael Bush was a life-long non-smoker and was employed as a laborer at Union Carbide from 1973 until 1993, according to the suit.

Gloria Bush claims the defendants are being sued upon theories of negligence, contaminated buildings, breach of expressed/implied warranty, strict liability, intentional tort, conspiracy, misrepresentation and post-sale duty to warn.

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

Gloria Bush is seeking a jury trial to resolve all issues involved. She is being represented by Bronwyn I. Rinehart.

The case has been assigned to a visiting judge.

The 51 companies named as defendants in the suit are 3M Company; A.W. Chesterton Company; Air & Liquid Systems Corporation; Aurora Pump; Brand Insulations, Inc.; BW/IP, Inc.; CBS Corporation; Certainteed Corporation; Cleaver-Brooks Company, Inc.; Crane Company; Crown, Cork & Seal USA, Inc.; Dezurik, Inc.; Dow Chemical Company; Dravo Corporation; Elkem Metals Company - Alloy, LP; Elkem Chemicals, Inc.; Elkem Materials, Inc.; Elkem Metals, Inc.; Flowserve Corporation; FMC Corporation; Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation; General Electric Company; Georgia-Pacific, LLC; Goulds Pumps, Inc.; Grinnell, LLC; Hercules, Inc.; Honeywell International, Inc.; IMO Industries, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll-Rand Company; ITT Corporation; Lockheed Martin Corporation; McJunkin Corporation; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; Nagle Pumps; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; Ohio Valley Insulating Company, Inc.; Peerless Pumps; Riley Power, Inc.; Schneider Electric; State Electric Supply Company; Sterling Fluid Systems (USA); Tasco Insulations, Inc.; UB West Virginia, Inc.; Union Carbide Chemical and Plastics Company, Inc.; Uniroyal, Inc.; United Engineers & Constructors and Washington Group International; Vimasco Corporation; West Virginia Electric Supply Company; Yarway Corporation; and Zurn Industries, Inc.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 12-C-2278