Lawsuits against Verizon allege exposure from lead-acid batteries

CHARLESTON - Four lawsuits have been filed against Verizon for injuries sustained from inhalation of hazardous substances.

On Aug. 8, 2011, Frontier failed to maintain the lead-acid battery room and the batteries in a safe condition, which caused injuries to Joseph Parsons, Michael Oliver, Michael Greynolds and Henry Chapman, according to four complaints filed Aug. 5 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

The plaintiffs claim the defendants exposed them to an unsafe working conditions at the facility.

The defendants required the plaintiffs to work in an environment which required inhalation of hazardous substances, including electrolyte sulfuric acid, calcium sulfate and magnesium sulfate; failed to provide them with proper safety equipment; failed to warn the plaintiffs of the potential of exposure to hazardous substances; failed to provide the plaintiffs with proper training on the dangerous of exposure to hazardous substances; failed to perform job safety analysis/pre-shift inspection and/or any other site specific inspection to identify and remedy possible workplace safety hazards; failed to take appropriate step to protect the plaintiffs from inhalation of hazardous substances; and failed to provide proper ventilation and ventilation controls to protect the plaintiffs, according to the suits.

The plaintiffs claim as a result of the defendants' actions and conduct, they were significantly and repeatedly exposed to hazardous substances.

The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. They are being represented by Brett J. Preston, C. Benjamin Salango and Dan R. Snuffer of Preston & Salango PLLC; J. Kristopher Cormany of Cormany Law PLLC; and R. Ray Lovejoy II of Lovejoy Law Office PLLC.

The cases have been assigned to circuit judges Paul Zakaib Jr., Louis H. Bloom and Carrie Webster.

Verizon Services Corp.; Verizon Business Network Services Inc.; Verizon Communications Inc.; Citizens Telecommunications Company Of West Virginia d/b/a Citizens Communications Company of the Mountain State and Frontier Communications Of West Virginia; Frontier Communications of America Inc.; Frontier West Virginia Inc. d/b/a Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of West Virginia and Verizon West Virginia; Frontier Communications Corporation; AFL Network Services Inc.; AFL Global LLC; Frontier Communications ILEC Holding Inc.; Frontier Communications Corporation Services Inc.; and Frontier Communications Online and Long Distance Inc. were all named as defendants in the suit.

Kanawha Circuit Court case numbers: 13-C-1478, 13-C-1479, 13-C-1480, 13-C-1481