12 defendants named in asbestos lawsuit

A man claims he developed a malignant asbestos-related disease after working around asbestos products during the course of his work as an electrician, repairman and laborer.

Augustine Aranda filed a complaint April 6 in Jefferson County District Court against 12 defendant corporations.

Aranda has already sued or settled for a non-malignant asbestos-related disease and now seeks compensation for a different malignant asbestos-related disease, according to his complaint.

He claims he became exposed to asbestos fibers during his work at the Gulfport Shipyard in Port Arthur from 1965 until 1967 and at the Atlantic Richfield Refinery from 1967 until 1979.

Because of his work around the products, Aranda experienced physical pain, suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement and physical impairment; incurred medical costs; and will incur future medical bills, the suit states. In addition, his wife, Patsy Jean Aranda, says she lost her husband's household services.

They blame the defending 12 companies for Aranda's injuries, saying they negligently failed to adequately test their products, failed to warn of the dangers of their products, continued to manufacture the products after the dangers of asbestos were widely known, failed to remove the products from the market and failed to provide adequate protection to workers, the complaint says.

The 12 companies named as defendants include Bayer Cropscience, Bechtel Corp., CBS Corp., Certainteed Corp., Crane Co., Dana Companies, Fluor Enterprises, Fluor Maintenance Services, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Corp., Sepco Corp., Treco Construction Services and Union Carbide Corp.

The plaintiffs seek actual and exemplary damages, pre- and post-judgment interest at the legal rate and other relief to which they may be entitled.

Bryan O. Blevins Jr. and Aaryn K. Giblin of Provost and Umphrey Law Firm in Beaumont will be representing them.

The case has been assigned to Judge Gary Sanderson, 60th District Court.

Jefferson County District Court case number: B186-460.