NEW ORLEANS – A local sushi restaurant is suing a law firm it claims failed to provide proper representation in filing a Deepwater Horizon claim over the BP oil spill.
Chan’s Inc. doing business as Mikimoto, filed suit against Joseph Harrison Henderson, III, Henderson Law Firm, and Guste, Barnett, Schlesinger, Henderson & Alpaugh, L.L.P. in the Orleans Parish District Court on July 9.
Mo Fung Chan, also known as “Jacky Chan,” of Mikimoto claims that the defendants failed to meet the standard of care for attorneys in its failure to adequately advise his business in a claim relating to the oil spill.
The plaintiff alleges that he contacted and retained the services of the Henderson Law Firm to represent him in a loss of income claim prior to Nov. 1, 2012, yet he was informed in January 2015 that the Henderson Law Firm was declining representation because the facts of Mikimoto’s potential case failed to meet selection criteria. The plaintiff alleges that his case should have been pursued as an individual claim rather than a part of the settlement class. As the deadline for filing an individual claim was Nov. 1, 2012, and the plaintiff alleges that he was not informed of these details until January 2015, be argues he has suffered a substantial monetary loss. Further, Chan alleges Mikimoto could have recovered damages had the defendants been provided adequate legal counsel.
The defendants are accused of breaching the duties owed to the plaintiff in a manner that fails to meet the standard of care expected of attorneys in this community.
An unspecified amount in damages is sought for loss of monies in damages with legal interest.
Chan’s Inc is represented by Robert H. Matthews.
The case has been assigned to Judge Piper D. Griffin
Case no. 2015-06555.