W.Va. Painter Sues Employer, Others for Silica-Related Injuries

HAMLIN, W.Va. - A painter who claims he contracted silicosis as a result of his exposure to silica dust while working for a company that manufactured railroad cars has sued his employer and several other defendants in West Virginia state court. Stratton v. ACF Industries, Inc., et al., No. 03 C 132 (W.Va. Cir. Ct., Lincoln Cty.).

According to a complaint filed recently in Lincoln County Circuit Court, Ronald Stratton inhaled dangerous amounts of silica dust for many years while working at a plant owned by ACF Industries, Inc., in Huntington, W.Va.

Stratton alleges that he used silica-containing products, respiratory …