Guinn
St. Louis circuit court appears to have an active asbestos docket.
At the end of last month, four new complaints were filed in the 22nd Judicial Circuit in the City of St. Louis. The Simmons firm of Alton brought two of them.
Louise Della-Croce sued 16 defendant corporations on Jan. 26; Kathleen A. Kelly filed a lawsuit Jan. 23 against 39 defendant corporations; Khachick Khodadadi filed a lawsuit Jan. 26 against 15 defendant corporation; and Raymond Pitrucha Jr. and Rhonda Marsh of Missouri filed a lawsuit Jan. 26 against 18 companies.
Della-Croce, Kelly and Khodadadi do not specify where they reside.
Della-Croce, Kelly and Khodadadi will be represented by Christopher R. Guinn, Myles L. Epperson and William A. Kohlburn of Simmons, Browder, Gianaris, Angelides and Barnerd in Alton.
Pitrucha and Marsh will be represented by Aaron K. Dickey of Dickey Law Firm in St. Louis and by Devin C. McNulty and Troy Chandler of Williams, Kherkher, Hart and Boundas in Houston.
In her complaint, Della-Croce alleges the defendant companies caused her recently deceased husband, Albert Della-Croce, to develop mesothelioma after his exposure to asbestos-containing products throughout his career.
The complaint does not indicate where Della-Croce resides, however it states that he worked as a farmhand, driver, refrigeration pipefitter and laborer in Colorado and California, according to the complaint.
In her complaint, Kathleen Kelly alleges her mother, Anna Marie Kelly, developed mesothelioma after she worked as a receptionist, ranch worker, laborer and clerical worker at various locations from 1976 until 1992. She was also secondarily exposed to asbestos fibers through her ex-husband, Thomas Tegro, who worked as a laborer from 1976 until 1983, the suit states.
In her complaint, Khodadadi alleges she developed mesothelioma after she worked as an accounting and financial analysis advisor from 1969 until now.
Pitrucha and Marsh allege their recently deceased father, Raymond Pitrucha Sr., developed lung cancer after his exposure to asbestos products throughout his career as a laborer, drywaller and sheetrocker from 1960 until the 1990s throughout several midwestern states.
The defendants should have known of the harmful effects of asbestos, but failed to exercise reasonable care and caution for the plaintiff's safety, the suits state.
As a result of their asbestos-related diseases, Albert Della-Croce, Anna Marie Kelly, Khodadadi and Raymond Pitrucha Sr. became disabled and disfigured, incurred medical costs and suffered great physical pain and mental anguish, the complaint says. In addition, they became prevented from pursuing their normal course of employment and, as a result, lost large sums of money that would have accrued to them, the plaintiffs claim.
Because of Albert Della-Croce's, Anna Marie Kelly's and Raymond Pitrucha Sr.'s deaths, their families have incurred funeral costs and have been deprived of their support and society.
In her four-count complaint, Louise Della-Croce is seeking actual and compensatory damages of more than $50,000 and punitive and exemplary damages of more than $50,000, plus other relief the court deems just.
In her four-count complaint, Kathleen Kelly is seeking punitive and exemplary damages of more than $50,000 and actual and compensatory damages of more than $50,000.
In her four-count complaint, Khodadadi is seeking actual and compensatory damages of more than $50,000 and punitive and exemplary damages of more than $50,000.
In their four-count complaint, Raymond Pitrucha Jr. and Marsh are seeking actual and compensatory damages of more than $125,000 and punitive and exemplary damages of more than $50,000 and punitive damages in an amount sufficient to deter Ferris Kimball from performing similar acts in the future, plus costs and other relief the court deems just.
St. Louis Circuit Court case numbers: 12-L-408, 12-L-443, 12-L-442, 12-L-438.