More asbestos claims filed in St. Louis Circuit Court

ST. LOUIS - An additional three asbestos cases have been added to the docket in St. Louis Circuit Court.

On Feb. 17, three new complaints were filed in the 22nd Judicial Circuit in the City of St. Louis.

John Williams Jr. and Bernice P. Williams sued 39 defendant corporations while Larry and Barbara Buckelew filed a lawsuit against 49 defendant corporations. Bonnie Lemoine, Christie Leblanc and Melodie Lalonde named 47 companies as defendants. None of the plaintiffs specify where they reside.

Steven M. Aroesty of the Napoli, Bern, Ripka, Shkolink law firm in Edwardsville brought the suit on behalf of the Williams.

Randy L. Gori and Barry Julian of Gori, Julian and Associates brought the suit on behalf of the Buckelews and the Lemoines.

In their complaint, the Williamses allege the defendant companies caused John Williams Jr. to develop long cancer after his exposure to asbestos-containing products throughout his career as a maintenance worker, carpenter and aircraft sheet metal mechanic at various locations in Missouri and California from 1957 until 1990.

In their complaint, the Buckelews alleges Larry Buckelew developed lung cancer after he was exposed to asbestos fibers during his work as an electrician at Climatrol in Decatur, Ala., from 1962 until 1972, as an electrician at Davis and Daniel Construction in Albany, Ga., from 1973 until 1974 and from 1976 until 1977, as an electrician at Brown and Root in Decatur, Ala., as an electrician at TVA in Scotsboro, Ala., from 1988 until 1991, as an electrician at Bamsi from 1985 until 1986, as an electrician at 3M Decatur from 1987 until 1988, as an electrician at Stone and Webster from 1991 until 1996 and as an electrician at Cullier Electric from 1996 until 2001.

Gerard Lemoine developed lung cancer after working as an electrician for the U.S. Navy from 1955 until 1976 and as an electrician for ODECO in New Orleans from 1976 until 1991, according to his wife's and childrens' complaint.

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, John Williams Jr., Larry Buckelew and Gerard Lemoine 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 Gerard Lemoine's death, his family has incurred funeral costs and have been deprived of their support and society.

In their six-count complaint, the Williams are seeking actual and compensatory damages of more than $100,000, and punitive and exemplary damages of more than $25,000, plus other relief the court deems just.

In their eight-count complaint, the Buckelews are seeking a judgment of more than $50,000, compensatory damages of more than $150,000, punitive damages in an amount sufficient to punish various defendants and to prevent them from committing similar acts in the future, economic damages of more than $150,000, punitive and exemplary damages of more than $25,000 and actual and compensatory damages of more than $50,000.

In their eight-count complaint, Gerard Lemoine's relatives are seeking a judgment of more than $50,000, compensatory damages of more than $150,000, punitive damages in an amount sufficient to punish various defendants and to prevent them from committing similar acts in the future, actual and compensatory damages of more than $50,000, aggravated damages of more than $25,000 and punitive and exemplary damages of more than $25,000.

St. Louis Circuit Court case numbers: 12-L-878, 12-L-884, 12-L-883.