Galanos v. National Steel Corp.

MILLER, Justice:

The plaintiffs in these related cases appeal final orders of the Circuit Court of Hancock County which granted summary judgment in favor of the defendant, National Steel Corporation (National). They assert that the court improperly applied the doctrine of collateral estoppel to them as they were neither parties nor privies to a prior case, Peneschi v. National Steel Corp., 170 W.Va. 511, 295 S.E.2d 1 (1982), in which we affirmed a jury verdict in favor of National. We find the circuit court erred and, therefore, reverse and remand.. These cases arise out of an explosion which…