The estate of miner William I. Griffith has filed what may be the first wrongful death case in the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster.

The case was filed yesterday in Raleigh Circuit Court. Defendants are listed as Performance Coal Co., Massey Coal Services and Massey Energy.

Griffith, 54, had been working for Performance Coal since 1992.  He and his wife, Marlene Griffith, would have been celebrating their 33rd wedding anniversary on April 30. Griffith began working as a coal miner in 1974, shortly after he graduated from high school.

I am not yet aware of other cases being filed so far by any of the families.