WHITE v. JOHNS-MANVILLE CORP.

Nos. 79-1854, 80-1028, 80-1140, 80-1154, 80-1227 and 80-1228.

662 F.2d 234 (1981)

John W. WHITE, Appellant, and Ronald M. Cash, Donahue Ellis, Willie A. Gibbons, Thomas J. Hogge, Maurice W. Holloway, Wilson W. Jones, Percy C. Overman, Hugh V. Reynolds, John Lee Roland, Thomas R. Sawyer, Milton L. Stacey, Robert L. Van Dyke, Walter J. White, James T. Long, Homer E. Watson, O. W. Patrick, James T. Oman, Fred R. Walker, Roscoe C. McGuire, Elias James Watkins, Plaintiffs, v. JOHNS-MANVILLE CORPORATION, and Johns-Manville Sales Corporation, successor by merger with Johns-Manville Products Corporation; Raybestos-Manhatten Corporation, a Connecticut Corporation; Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, successor by purchase of Kaylo Division of Owens-Illinois Glass Company; Pittsburgh Corning Corporation, a Pennsylvania Corporation; The Celotex Corporation, successor by merger with Panacon Corporation, which was successor by merger of Briggs Manufacturing Company and Philip Carey Corporation; Unarco Industries, Inc., formerly known as Union Asbestos and Rubber Company; H. K. Porter Company, Thermoid Division, a Delaware Corporation; Southern Asbestos Company, a foreign corporation; Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc., an Ohio Corporation, Appellees, v. NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING AND DRYDOCK COMPANY and United States of America, Third-Party Defendants. John W. WHITE, Ronald M. Cash, Donahue Ellis, Thomas J. Hogge, Maurice W. Holloway, Wilson W. Jones, Percy C. Overman, John Lee Roland, Thomas R. Sawyer, Milton L. Stacey, Robert L. Van Dyke, Walter J. White, James T. Long, Homer E. Watson, O. W. Patrick, Roscoe C. McGuire, Elias James Watkins, Plaintiffs, and Willie A. Gibbons, Hugh V. Reynolds, James T. Oman, Fred R. Walker, Appellants, v. JOHNS-MANVILLE CORPORATION and Johns-Manville Sales Corporation, successor by merger with Johns-Manville Products Corporation; Raybestos-Manhatten, a Connecticut Corporation; Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, successor by purchase of Kaylo Division of Owens-Illinois Glass Company; Pittsburgh Corning Corporation, a Pennsylvania Corporation; The Celotex Corporation, successor by merger with Panacon Corporation, which was successor by merger of Briggs Manufacturing Company and Philip Carey Corporation; Unarco Industries, Inc., formerly known as Union Asbestos and Rubber Company; H. K. Porter Company, Thermoid Division, a Delaware Corporation; Southern Asbestos Company, a Foreign Corporation; Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc., an Ohio Corporation, Appellees, v. NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING AND DRYDOCK COMPANY and The United States of America, Third-Party Defendants. James T. OMAN, Fred R. Walker, John W. White, Willie A. Gibbons, Hugh V. Reynolds, Appellants, and Ronald M. Cash, Donahue Ellis, Thomas J. Hogge, Maurice W. Holloway, Wilson W. Jones, Percy C. Overman, John Lee Roland, Thomas R. Sawyer, Milton L. Stacey, Robert L. Van Dyke, Walter J. White, James T. Long, Homer E. Watson, O. W. Patrick, Roscoe C. McGuire, Elias James Watkins, Plaintiffs, v. JOHNS-MANVILLE CORPORATION and Johns-Manville Sales Corporation, successor by merger with Johns-Manville Products Corporation; Raybestos-Manhatten Corporation, a Connecticut Corporation; Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, successor by purchase of Kaylo Division of Owens-Illinois Glass Company; Pittsburgh Corning Corporation, a Pennsylvania Corporation; The Celotex Corporation, successor by merger with Panacon Corporation, which was successor by merger of Briggs Manufacturing Company and Philip Carey Corporation; Unarco Industries, Inc., formerly known as Union Asbestos and Rubber Company; H. K. Porter Company, Thermoid Division, a Delaware Corporation; Southern Asbestos Company, a Foreign Corporation; Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc., an Ohio Corporation, Appellees, v. NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING AND DRYDOCK COMPANY and The United States of America, Third-Party Defendants. James T. OMAN, Fred R. Walker, Willie A. Gibbons, Hugh V. Reynolds, Appellees, and John W. White, Ronald M. Cash, Donahue Ellis, Thomas J. Hogge, Maurice W. Holloway, Wilson W. Jones, Percy C. Overman, John Lee Roland, Thomas R. Sawyer, Milton L. Stacey, Robert L. Van Dyke, Walter J. White, James T. Long, Homer E. Watson, O. W. Patrick, Roscoe C. McGuire, Elias James Watkins, Plaintiffs, v. JOHNS-MANVILLE CORPORATION and Johns-Manville Sales Corporation, successor by merger with Johns-Manville Products Corporation, Appellant, and RAYBESTOS-MANHATTEN CORPORATION, a Connecticut Corporation; Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, successor by purchase of Kaylo Division of Owens-Illinois Glass Company; Pittsburgh Corning Corporation, a Pennsylvania Corporation; The Celotex Corporation, successor by merger with Panacon Corporation, which was successor by merger of Briggs Manufacturing Company and Philip Carey Corporation; Unarco Industries, Inc., formerly known as Union Asbestos and Rubber Company; H. K. Porter Company, Thermoid Division, a Delaware Corporation; Southern Asbestos Company, a Foreign Corporation; Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc., an Ohio Corporation, Defendants and Third-Party Plaintiffs, v. NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING AND DRYDOCK COMPANY and United States of America, Third-Party Defendants. James T. OMAN, Fred R. Walker, Willie A. Gibbons, Hugh V. Reynolds, Appellees, and John W. White, Ronald M. Cash, Donahue Ellis, Thomas J. Hogge, Maurice W. Holloway, Wilson W. Jones, Percy C. Overman, John Lee Roland, Thomas R. Sawyer, Milton L. Stacey, Robert L. Van Dyke, Walter J. White, James T. Long, Homer E. Watson, O. W. Patrick, Roscoe C. McGuire, Elias James Watkins, Plaintiffs, v. H. K. PORTER COMPANY, INC., THERMOID DIVISION, a Delaware Corporation, Appellant, and JOHNS-MANVILLE CORPORATION and Johns-Manville Sales Corporation, successor by merger with Johns-Manville Products Corporation; Raybestos-Manhatten Corporation, a Connecticut Corporation; Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, successor by purchase of Kaylo Division of Owens-Illinois Glass Company; Pittsburgh Corning Corporation, a Pennsylvania Corporation, The Celotex Corporation, successor by merger with Panacon Corporation, which was successor by merger of Briggs Manufacturing Company and Philip Carey Corporation; Unarco Industries, Inc., formerly known as Union Asbestos and Rubber Company; Southern Asbestos Company, a Foreign Corporation; Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc., an Ohio Corporation, Defendants and Third-Party Plaintiffs, v. NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING AND DRYDOCK COMPANY and The United States of America, Third-Party Defendants. James T. OMAN, Fred R. Walker, Willie A. Gibbons, Hugh V. Reynolds, Appellees, and John W. White, Ronald M. Cash, Donahue Ellis, Thomas J. Hogge, Maurice W. Holloway, Wilson W. Jones, Percy C. Overman, John Lee Roland, Thomas R. Sawyer, Milton L. Stacey, Robert L. Van Dyke, Walter J. White, James T. Long, Homer E. Watson, O. W. Patrick, Roscoe C. McGuire, Elias James Watkins, Plaintiffs, v. OWENS-CORNING FIBERGLASS CORPORATION, successor by purchase of Kaylo Division of Owens-Illinois Glass Company, Appellant, and JOHNS-MANVILLE CORPORATION and Johns-Manville Sales Corporation, successor by merger with Johns-Manville Products Corporation; Raybestos-Manhatten Corporation, a Connecticut Corporation; Pittsburgh Corning Corporation, a Pennsylvania Corporation; The Celotex Corporation, successor by merger with Panacon Corporation, which was successor by merger of Briggs Manufacturing Company and Philip Carey Corporation; Unarco Industries, Inc., formerly known as Union Asbestos and Rubber Company; Southern Asbestos Company, a Foreign Corporation; Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc., an Ohio Corporation, Defendants and Third-Party Plaintiffs, v. NEWPORT NEWS SHIPBUILDING AND DRYDOCK COMPANY and The United States of America, Third-Party Defendants.

United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.

Decided October 5, 1981.

Certiorari Denied January 11, 1982.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Joel I. Klein, Washington, D. C. (H. Bartow Farr, III, Susan L. Carney, Rogovin, Stern & Huge, Washington, D. C., Robert R. Hatten, Patten & Wornom, Newport News, Va., Richard S. Glasser, Glasser & Glasser, Norfolk, Va., Gene Locks, Philadelphia, Pa., on brief), for appellants.

Robert M. Hughes, III, Norfolk, Va. (C. Michael Montgomery, Glen A. Huff, Steven G. Schwartz, Seawell, McCoy, Dalton, Hughes, Gore & Timms, Norfolk, Va., on brief), for Johns-Manville Corp. and Johns-Manville Sales Corp.

Archibald Wallace, III, Richmond, Va. (Albert D. Bugg, Jr., Sands, Anderson, Marks & Miller, Richmond, Va., on brief), for H. K. Porter Co. and Southern Textile Corp.

Jack E. Greer, J. Anderson Stalnaker, Williams, Worrell, Kelly & Greer, Norfolk, Va., on brief for Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp.

Allan S. Reynolds, Worth D. Banner, White, Reynolds, Smith & Winters, Norfolk, Va., on brief for Pittsburgh Corning Corp.

John Y. Pearson, Jr., Bruce T. Bishop, Guy R. Friddell, III, Willcox, Savage, Lawrence, Dickson & Spindle, Norfolk, Va., on brief for Celotex Corp.

William B. Eley, Kenneth A. Phillips, Eley, Rutherford & Leafe, Norfolk, Va., on brief for Eagle-Picher Industries, Inc.

Gerard E. W. Voyer, Taylor, Walker & Adams, Norfolk, Va., on brief for Unarco Industries, Inc.

William V. Hoyle, Charles A. Smith, Philip S. Payne, Hoyle Corbett, Hubbard, Smith & Payne, Newport News, Va., on brief for Raybestos-Manhatten, Inc.

Before WIDENER, HALL and PHILLIPS, Circuit Judges.


Certiorari Denied January 11, 1982. See 102 S.Ct. 1037.

K. K. HALL, Circuit Judge:

John W. White and four other shipyard workers of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company appeal the judgments of the district court setting aside jury verdicts of $435,000 for each employee and granting judgment n.o.v. in favor of various manufacturers of asbestos products. Appellants raise these main issues on appeal: (1) whether the district court erred in...

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