LISBON Men sue over asbestos illnesses

Among other things, the men claim that the companies are at fault for failing to warn them of the hazards posed by asbestos exposure.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Three Columbiana County couples are suing 73 companies over asbestos-related illnesses contracted by the men.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in county common pleas court and has been assigned to Judge David Tobin.
The plaintiffs are Samuel and Carrie Birch, 784 Summit St., Salem; John and Donna Dermotta, 425 Washington Ave., Salem; and Donald and JoAnn Dailey, 12029 Amarillo Ave., Negley.
The wives are named as plaintiffs because, among other reasons, their husbands' illnesses have resulted in a loss of spousal support and companionship, the lawsuit says.
Each of the six plaintiffs is seeking in excess of $50,000 in damages for each of the 22 counts contained in the lawsuit.
Allegation: The men say their health problems stem from exposure to asbestos, and machinery or products containing asbestos that was produced, installed, distributed or sold by the defendants, which all have done business in the county, the lawsuit alleges.
As a result of more than 30 years of exposure each, the men have "inhaled great quantities of asbestos fibers," the lawsuit states.
The defendants are at fault partly through neglecting to warn the men of the "dangerous characteristics and serious health hazards associated with exposure to asbestos" and with failing to provide them with information regarding protective equipment, the lawsuit says.
Although it doesn't say where the men worked, the lawsuit says their jobs were in facilities in the county and in occupations such as enameler, shop superintendent and laborer.
Companies: Only one of the companies named in the lawsuit is based in the county.
That enterprise is Insul Co. Inc. of East Palestine. Mike Labate, company president, said Tuesday he knows nothing of the lawsuit.
Insul manufactures brick and other materials for the steel industry. It employs about 60 people.
Other defendants in the lawsuit include large corporations, including Uniroyal Rubber Co., Middleburg, Conn.; Georgia Pacific Corp., Atlanta; Union Carbide Chemical and Plastics Co. Inc., Cleveland; and Mobil Oil Corp., Wilmington, Del.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the plaintiffs by Young, Reverman & amp; Mazzei Co., a Cincinnati-based law firm.