News from March 2011
Texas lawyer Coon repeatedly emerges in spotlight in BP litigation
Texas plaintiff attorney Brent Coon has once again grabbed media attention in his ongoing campaign against BP.
Missing BP laptop contained information for 13,000 claimants, report says
The Associated Press reported that a BP employee has lost a laptop containing the personal information of about 13,000 people who have filed claims as a result of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
WSJ reports death settlements in BP oil spill start at $8 million
Feinberg The Wall Street Journal issued a report stating that settlements with families of workers who were killed in the Deepwater Horizon oilrig explosion are in the $8 to $9 million range.
Reports link New Orleans attorney to ABC's 'Bachlorette'
Castoriano New Orleans attorney Ben Castoriano will be featured as a contestant on the ABC reality show "The Bachelorette," according to several online reports.
DOJ looking into manslaughter and perjury charges against BP, report says
The Associated Press reports that the Department of Justice could possibly levy charges of manslaughter and perjury against BP and other companies involved in the Deepwater Horizon oilrig explosion and subsequent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Barbier seeks mechanism to inform growing number of pro se filings in BP MDL
Barbier Noting an increasing number of pro se complaints filed in the BP oil spill multidistrict litigation (MDL), U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier has instructed liaison counsel to establish a way to inform claimants about proceedings.
Barbier allows BP to conduct further testing on failed BOP
Barbier U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier granted BP permission to conduct further forensic testing on the failed blowout preventer (BOP) that led to last year's Deepwater Horizon oilrig explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
LSU law chancellor will pick GCCF appeals judges
Weiss Kenneth Feinberg has appointed Louisiana State University law professor Jack Weiss to pick a group of judges who will hear "limited appeals" on claims denied by the Gulf Coast Claims Facility.
Gas station manager claims race and gender discrimination
A Gretna gas station manager is suing his employer for racial discrimination after he was terminated from his position.
Ford named in personal injury suit caused by asleep-at-the-wheel driver
A seriously injured passenger has filed a lawsuit against a co-worker, who fell asleep while driving causing a high speed, head-on collision.
Attorney claims he lost vision after taking Levitra
A Jefferson Parish attorney is suing Bayer over its prescription drug Levitra, claiming he lost his sight as a result of the drug's side effects.
Depositions and discovery gain steam in BP MDL
BP attorneys say that 20 depositions have been completed and 82 more are scheduled in the next few months in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill multidistrict litigation (MDL).
Judge and attorneys find humor in BOP and cement testing
Barbier U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier and lawyers involved in BP oil spill litigation found humor today during a status conference held at federal court in New Orleans.
Target accused of knowing about a slipping hazard but failing to correct it
A woman's personal injury suit against Target over a slipping hazard at a Terrebonne Parish store has been removed to federal court.
Petco sued by woman claiming carpal tunnel-type injuries
A Jefferson Parish resident has filed a lawsuit against Petco Animal Supplies Stores Inc. over an incident at a Kenner store in which she slipped and fell, suffering a carpal tunnel type injury to her hand.
Bent drill pipe caused blowout preventer failure in BP oil spill, report says
A federal government report says that a bent drill pipe prevented the blowout preventer (BOP) from cutting off the flow of oil, which led to the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion last April.
Agenda set for March BP MDL status conference
Barbier A tentative agenda involving BP oil spill litigation has been set for a Friday status conference in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Lousiana.
Company wants sales price refunded of four defective dump trailers
A Louisiana company has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of a dump trailer which malfunctioned two months into use.
Trucking company sued after rear-end collision
A trucking company is facing a lawsuit after one of its truck drivers rear-ended a vehicle because the tractor-trailer was allegedly traveling too fast to brake.
Seaman sues over air boat injury
A seaman is suing his employer after he slipped and fell on a board walkway from an air boat.