Asbestos News Roundup: 8.2.12 – Welder, Pipefitter Asbestos Risk

August 3rd, 2012. By LucyC

A roundup of recent asbestos-related news and information that you should be aware of. An ongoing list of reported asbestos hot spots in the US from the Asbestos News Roundup archive appears on our asbestos map.

Welders, Construction Workers and Millwrights Asbestos Risk

Many of the materials used in construction, including welding, pipefitting, and millwright work, contained, or in some cases still contain asbestos. By the mid-20th century asbestos was being used in fire retardant coatings, concrete, bricks, pipes and fireplace cement, heat, fire, and acid resistant gaskets, pipe insulation, ceiling insulation, fireproof drywall, flooring, roofing, lawn furniture, and drywall joint compound.

It wasn’t until the 1980s that the knowledge of the dangers of asbestos exposure and related asbestos disease became more widely known amongst the general public. Consequently, millions of men and women likely worked on or around asbestos without any protection for decades.

It would not be uncommon for people to work with asbestos-containing products, either installing or removing them, which would send asbestos fibers into the air. The fibers are inhaled, and settle on people’s clothing—and that’s how asbestos disease begins. People who become ill from asbestos are usually exposed to it on a regular basis, hence the hundreds of asbestos lawsuits we are seeing now.

Asbestos Lawsuits

 Charleston, WV: Lillian Reilly, the widow of the late James Reilly, is suing 53 companies she claims are responsible for her husband’s lung cancer and death. Mrs. Reilly claims her husband was exposed to asbestos during his employment as a welder and millwright from 1965 until 1997.

James Reilly was diagnosed with lung cancer on September 2, 2011. He died less than a year later on April 27, 2012 according to the lawsuit.

Mrs. Reilly claims the defendants failed to warn her husband about the dangers of asbestos, and that the defendants also failed to supply him 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 lawsuit.

Lillian Reilly is seeking a jury trial to resolve all issues involved.  The 53 companies named as defendants are A.W. Chesterton Company; Air & Liquid Systems Corporation; Armstrong International, Inc.; Aurora Pump Company; Copes-Vulcan, Inc.; Crane Co.; Dravo Corporation; Eaton Electrical, Inc.; Flowserve U.S., Inc. f/k/a Durco International, Inc.; Flowserve U.S., Inc. f/k/a Flowserve FSD Corporation; FMC Corporation; Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation; General Electric Company; Goulds Pumps, Inc.; Grinnell, LLC; Hercules, Inc.; Honeywell, Inc.; Howden North America, Inc.; IMO Industries, Inc.; Inductotherm Industries, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll-Rand Company; ITT Corporation; Joy Technologies, Inc.; Lockheed Martin Corporation; McJunkin Corporation; Morgan Engineering Systems, Inc.; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; Ohio Valley Insulating Company, Inc.; P&H Mining Equipment, Inc.; Rapid American Corporation; Reading Crane and Engineering Company; Riley Power, Inc.; Rust Constructors, Inc.; Rust Engineering & Construction, Inc.; Rust International, Inc.; Schneider Electric USA, Inc.; State Electric Supply Company; Sterling Fluid Systems (USA), LLC; Sunbeam Corporation; Surface Combustion, Inc.; Swindell Dressier International Corporation; Tasco Insulations, Inc.; The Alliance Machine Company; UB West Virginia, Inc.; Uniroyal, Inc.; United Engineers & Constructors and Washington Group International; Viacom, Inc.; Viking Pump, Inc.; Vimasco Corporation; West Virginia Electric Supply Company; Yarway Corporation; and Zurn Industries, Inc. (WVRecord)

Charleston, WV: Daphene Y. Steele has filed an asbestos lawsuit against 41 companies she claims are responsible for her husband’s lung cancer and death.

On December 22, 2010, William Y. Steele was diagnosed with lung cancer. He died from the disease on November 21, 2011, according to the lawsuit.

Mrs. Steele claims he was exposed to asbestos during his employment as a laborer and coal miner from 1965 until 1991. She further claims that the defendants failed to warn her husband about the dangers of asbestos, and also failed to supply him 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 asbestos lawsuit.

Daphene Steele is seeking a jury trial to resolve all issues involved. 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.

Charleston, WV: A couple from Kentucky has filed an asbestos lawsuit naming 54 companies they claim are responsible for Randy Carson Fields’ asbestos lung cancer diagnosis.

Mr. Fields was diagnosed with lung cancer, according to the lawsuit, on September 29, 2011. Fields claims he was exposed to asbestos during his employment at various mining and coal companies from 1963 until 1987.

The lawsuit alleges the defendants failed to warn Mr. Fields about the dangers of asbestos, and that they failed to supply him 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 lawsuit.

Fields and his wife, Mabel Lou Fields, are seeking a jury trial to resolve all issues involved. The 54 companies named as defendants are 3M Company; A.W. Chesterton Company; Aurora Pump Company; Borg-Warner Corporation; Caterpillar Inc.; Certainteed Corporation; Cleaver-Brooks Company, Inc.; Copes-Vulcan, Inc.; Crane Co.; Dravo Corporation; Eaton Electrical, Inc.; Flowserve FSD Corporation; Flowserve U.S., Inc.; FMC Corporation; Ford Motor Company; Foster Wheeler Energy Corporation; Gardner Denver, Inc.; General Electric Company; Genuine Parts Company; Goulds Pumps; Grinnell, LLC; Honeywell International; IMO Industries, Inc.; Industrial Holdings Corporation; Ingersoll-Rand; ITT Corporation; Joy Technologies, Inc.; McJunkin Red Man Corporation; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; Mine Safety Appliances Company; Nacco Materials Handling Group, Inc.; Nagle Pumps, Inc.; Nitro Industrial Coverings, Inc.; P&H Mining Equipment, Inc.; Pettibone/Traverse Lift, LLC; Pneumo Abex Corporation; Premier Refractories, Inc.; Rapid-American Corporation; Riley Power, Inc.; Rockwell Automation, Inc.; Schneider Electric USA, Inc.; Sears, Roebuck And Co.; State Electric Supply Company; Sterling Fluid Systems (USA), LLC; Tasco Insulations, Inc; The Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Co.; Uniroyal, Inc.; United Conveyor Corporation; Viacom, Inc.; Vimasco Corporation; West Virginia Electric Supply Company; Yale Materials Handling Corporation; Yarway Corporation; and Zurn Industries, LLC. (WVRecord)

Asbestos Settlements

New Castle, DE:  A Delaware jury has awarded a $2.86 million verdict to the family of Michael Galliher, who died from asbestos mesothelioma. The lawsuit was filed against RT Vanderbilt In re Asbestos Litigation Michael Galliher, No. 10C-10-315 (Del. Super. Ct., New Castle City.). The settlement is the largest asbestos verdict against a single defendant in Delaware in over a decade.

Michael Galliher, of Mansfield, Ohio, was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in August 2010. He died months later on February 3, 2011 at the age of 62. While working at Crane Plumbing Fixtures Factory for nearly 40 years, Galliher used a talc powder contaminated with asbestos fibers to dust large molds of sinks, bathtubs and other ceramic fixtures. The asbestos fibers came from a mine in Gouverneur, NY, owned and operated by RT Vanderbilt Company, Inc.

Expert testimony during the trial linked Galliher’s exposure to talc dust containing asbestos fibers. RT Vanderbilt did not list the proper safety warning on the talc powder.

“The magnitude of Mr. Galliher’s exposure is immeasurable,” said the attorney representing Galliher. “Like many Americans, he worked hard his entire life so he could enjoy retirement with his grandchildren. Instead, it caused him to be exposed to asbestos and develop a deadly cancer.”

Six years before his death, Galliher retired to spend more time with his grandchildren, family members said. His three local grandchildren would visit him and his wife almost daily. He taught them how to garden and play baseball. He would also take them on regular trips to a local lake or mushroom hunting. He passed away just two weeks shy of his 33^rd wedding anniversary.

Founded in 1916, RT Vanderbilt is a mining and manufacturing company that sells more than sixty categories of minerals and chemicals used in over 800 products in industries including the rubber, plastic, petroleum, ceramic, cosmetic, and household products industries.

The verdict applies 100 percent liability to the company. (PR Newswire)

Tags: Asbestos, asbestos lawsuit, asbestos legal help, Asbestos Mesothelioma, Asbestos Settlement

This was posted on Friday, August 3rd, 2012 at 8:42 am and is filed under Asbestos Mesothelioma, lawsuits, Settlement . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.