Category: Louisiana

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Louisiana / Motion to Remand
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District Court Finds Defendant Has Colorable Federal Officer Statutory Defense, Denies Plaintiffs’ Motion to Remand

Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana

This is an asbestos-related lawsuit claiming that Shelton Boutte contracted lung cancer from alleged exposure to asbestos during his career as a rigger at the Avondale Shipyard from 1973 to 1975. Plaintiffs bring this lawsuit against defendant, Huntington Ingalls, as successor in interest and party responsible for the Avondale Shipyard. Plaintiffs originally filed this lawsuit in Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans. Defendant removed the case to district court, and in response, …

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Louisiana / Summary Judgment
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Inconsistent Testimony Not Sufficient to Preclude Summary Judgment for Employer Defendant

Court: Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit

In this fact-specific case, the plaintiff alleged the decedent Joyce Allen was exposed to asbestos through her husband, Odell Allen, who worked as a longshoreman and freight handler for various employers on the New Orleans riverfront from the 1960s to the 1980s. Defendant Ports America filed a motion for summary judgment, asserting there was no evidence Allen was exposed to asbestos while employed by Ports America. In support of its motion, Ports America submitted depositions of its …

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Appeal / Louisiana
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$5.5 Million Wrongful Death Damages and Pre-Judgment Interest Awards Affirmed on Appeal

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit

In this asbestos action, David Stauder Jr. (decedent) developed mesothelioma after working as a pipefitter for two decades. His daughters, Jill and Shelley Stauder (appellees) brought a survival action and wrongful death action against several defendants. Following a trial in December 2021 where Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) was the sole remaining defendant, the jury found UCC negligent and strictly liable for the decedent’s injuries. The jury apportioned 20% to UCC. As pertinent to this appeal, the jury awarded …

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Louisiana / Summary Judgment
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Asbestos Distributor Defendant Obtains Summary Judgment Due to Lack of Identification

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Jan. 13

Plaintiff Glen King  alleged that his exposure to asbestos during the course of his employment with the United States Navy, Louisiana State University, and BASF Corporation caused him to develop mesothelioma. He sued various defendants including Union Carbide, alleging in his negligence claim that Union Carbide supplied asbestos-containing products to his worksites and failed to adequately warn him of the presence of asbestos and the health hazards associated therewith. This matter was removed …

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Louisiana / Remand/Removal
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Motion to Remand Denied as Defendant’s Removal Timely Under Federal Officer Removal Statute

Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana

In this asbestos action, decedent Gayle LeBeau alleged take-home exposure to asbestos from her father and brother’s work at the Avondale Shipyards. After decedent filed her claim in state court, defendant Huntington Ingalls Incorporated (“Avondale”) removed the case to federal court. Plaintiffs moved to remand the case to state court, which Avondale opposed.   

Plaintiffs argued that removal was untimely as Avondale had notice of the appropriateness of removal from the decedent’s original petition on …

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Federal Officer Removal / Louisiana
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Removal of Case Based on the Federal Officer Removal Statute by Shipyard Defendant Upheld

United States District Court for the District of Louisiana

In this asbestos action, the plaintiff, Wilson Goffner Sr., alleged he developed lung cancer as a result of his work as a shipfitter at the Avondale Shipyard from 1974 to 1997. The plaintiff commenced this action by asserting a failure-to-warn cause of action. Avondale subsequently removed the matter to federal court.

The plaintiff subsequently filed a motion to remand, wherein he argued that Avondale did not satisfy the ‘colorable’ defense prong of the Federal Officer Removal …

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Mesothelioma
Louisiana / Summary Judgment
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Defendants’ Corporate Representatives’ Testimony Condemns own Motions

United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, October 31, 2022

Plaintiffs brought this wrongful death and survival action on behalf of decedent Kirk Reulet, alleging that Mr. Reulet was exposed to asbestos while working as a tradesman at various marine-economy jobs from 1972 to 2013. Plaintiffs alleged that this exposure led to his mesothelioma diagnosis and eventual death, and sought damages from dozens of defendants, including employers, premise owners, asbestos manufacturers or supplies, and insurers.

Defendants General Electric Company and ViacomCBS Inc. …

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Mesothelioma
Louisiana / Summary Judgment
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Third-Parties Prevail on Summary Judgment Thanks to Employer’s Lack of Evidence

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, October 24, 2022

Plaintiff Ronald John Falgout, as the independent executor and successor of decedent Ruby Lee Marie Falgout, brought this action in October 2022 after Falgout succumbed to the fatal effects of mesothelioma in August 2022. The plaintiff alleged that the decedent’s secondary exposure from asbestos fibers on his work clothes caused her cancer diagnosis. The plaintiff worked as a laborer, operator, oil king, and rainmaker at the Avondale Shipyards from 1965 to 1979. He …

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Louisiana / Motions in Limine
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Court Grants in Part and Defends in Part Defendants’ Omnibus Motion in Limine

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, October 24, 2022

The plaintiffs brought this asbestos exposure case alleging decedent Callen Cortez contracted mesothelioma following extensive exposure throughout his career as well as secondhand exposure from his father and brothers.  Defendants included asbestos-related manufacturers, premise owners, and employers.  The defendants filed an omnibus motion in limine prior to trial.

Firstly, defendants moved to prohibit plaintiffs from characterizing them all as “asbestos companies,” or members of the “asbestos industry,” on the grounds that this …

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Mesothelioma
Louisiana / Summary Judgment
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Plaintiffs Granted Partial Summary Judgment Based on “Substantial Factor” Standard

United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, October 21, 2022

The plaintiffs allege that Decedent Kirk Reulet was asbestos to asbestos throughout his 45-year career. The plaintiffs seek summary judgment on two issues: First whether Decedent developed mesothelioma prior to his death; and second, whether mesothelioma resulted in his death.

In December 2018, Decedent was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma. Decedent died two weeks later on January 2, 2019. Decedent’s death certificate lists four “diseases, injuries, or complications … that directly caused the …

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