Blevins
The widow of a local equipment operator has filed a lawsuit against 30 companies, alleging their asbestos-containing products caused her husband's death.
Maudry Granger, individually and on behalf of the estate of Rufus Granger, filed suit on Dec. 15 in Jefferson County District Court.
This is the second suit regarding Rufus Granger's exposure to asbestos. The decedent already sued or settled his claims for his non-malignant asbestos-related disease with one or more defendants, the suit states.
"Decedent died from a different malignant asbestos-related injury for which the decedent's family seeks compensation," the original complaint says. "Plaintiff now seeks damages against defendants not released in the previous actions pursuant to Pustejovsky v. Rapid-American Corp."
According to the complaint, Rufus Granger was required to work with and around asbestos and asbestos containing products while engaged in the course of his employment as a heavy equipment operator, truck driver and laborer.
His work around asbestos allegedly caused him to suffer from asbestos-related diseases and other industrial dust diseases caused by breathing the asbestos-containing products.
Defendants include A.W. Chesterton, American Optical, Bechtel, Crane Co., Fluor Enterprises, Foster Wheeler, Henry Vogt Machine, Honeywell, Ingersoll Rand, John Crane Inc., Lockheed Martin, 3M, Sepco Corp., Treco Construction Services, Uniroyal, Washington Group and Zurn Industries.
"Plaintiff would show that the manufacturers were negligent in their failure to adequately test their products prior to their introduction into the stream of commerce," the suit states.
The plaintiff claims defendants were negligent in failing to adequately warn of the dangers of asbestos exposure and failed to adequately test their products to determine the hazards.
Allegedly, the defendants continued to manufacture and distribute their asbestos-containing products after the hazards of asbestos exposure were well known and documented in medical and scientific literature and yet failed to remove their products from the market.
The plaintiff is seeking damages for physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, lost wages, disfigurement, physical impairment, medical bills and funeral expenses.
As Rufus Granger's surviving spouse, Maudry Granger is seeking compensation for loss of consortium and loss of numerous household services.
In addition, the plaintiff is asking for exemplary damages.
Bryan Blevins of Provost Umphrey Law in Beaumont is representing the plaintiff.
The case has been assigned to Judge Bob Wortham, 58th District Court.
Case No. A185-484