Seaman's widow files lawsuit over husband's exposure to asbestos, cigarettes and tobacco

The wife of a career merchant mariner has filed a wrongful death lawsuit that claims her husband was exposed to asbestos, cigarettes and tobacco resulting in pulmonary disease that caused his death.

Katrine Davalie individually and on behalf of the estate of Tookie A. Davalie filed the lawsuit on July 9 in federal court in New Orleans.

The named defendants are A-C Product Liability Trust, ACandS Inc., Acorn Iron & Supply Co., Alcoa Steamship Company Inc., Anchor Packing Co., Argo International Corp., Auburn Pump Division of General Signal Corp., Bethlehem Steel Corp., Black & Decker Corp., Boyd Co AB, Bryan Steam Corp., Champion International Corp., Chesterton Co AW, Coffin Pump Inc., Coltec Industries, Inc., Combustion Engineering Inc., Conhagen Inc., Alfred, Crane Co., Crosby Steam and Valve Co., Crown Cork & Seal Co., Inc., Delta Steamship Lines, Inc., Dover Resources Inc., Durabla Manufacturing Co., Durametallic Corp., EG&G Sealol Inc., Ellicott Machine Corp. International, Elliott Turbomachinery Co. Inc., Ernst Gage Co., Everlasting Valve Co., Excelsior Inc., FKI Industries Inc., Federal-Mogul Corp., Fel-Pro Inc., Felt Products Inc., Flintkote Co., Foster Wheeler Co., Garlock Inc., Gatke Corp., General Cable Co., General Electric Co., General Refractories, Goodall Rubber Co., Goodrich B.F. a/k/a Goodrich Corp., Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Gould Pumps Inc., Greene Tweed & Co, Gulf Engineering Co. Inc., Hajoca Corp., Harbison-Walker Refractories Group, Home Rubber Co., IMO Industries Inc., Indian Head Industries Inc., Ingersoll-Dresser Pump, Ingersoll-Rand Corp., James Walker Manufacturing Co., Janos Industrial Insulation Corp., John Crane Inc., Robert A. Keasbey Co., La Favorite Industries Inc., Melrath Gasket Inc. Mortell Co., Mount Washington Tanker Co., Noland Co., North American Refractories Co., Norton Co., Ocean Transportation Co., Okonite Co., Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp., Owens-Illinois Inc., PPG Industries Inc., Pecora Corp., Phoenix Specialty Manufacturing Co. Inc., Pittsburgh Corning Corp., Plibrico Co., Preferred Utilities Manufacturing Corp., Quaker Rubber Co., Rhopac Inc., Rockbestos Co., Sea-Ro Packing Co. Inc., Selby Battersby and Co., Sherwin-Williams Co., Sika Corp., Skinner Engine Co. Inc., USX Corp., Uniroyal Chemical Co. Inc., Vellumoid Inc., Viking Pump Inc., Vogt Machine Co., Henry Walworth Co., Warren Pumps Inc., Waterman Steamship Corp., Westinghouse Electric Corp. and Zimmerman Packing & Mfg. Inc.

According to the complaint, Davalie was constantly exposed to asbestos friable fibers, causing him to breathe into his system carcinogenic asbestos dust. The various defendants are accused of maintaining each respective vessel in an unsafe, unseaworthy condition causing the crewmen exposure to toxic chemicals and carcinogens including to friable asbestos and second hand exposure to cigarette and tobacco smoke.

The plaintiff is seeking damages for loss of earnings and earning capacity, life with fear of cancer and other disease, while living, pain and suffering, costs of being forever medically monitored for disease onset and worsening, loss of pleasurable, social and recreational amenities, exemplary and punitive damages, death, loss of love, affection and support, punitive damages, interest, attorney's fees and court costs.

Davalie is represented by New Orleans attorney John Michael Lawrence.

U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance is assigned to the case.

Case No. 2:11-cv-01613