NEW ORLEANS — A wife is suing owners of derrick barges owners, alleging breach of duty and negligence in the death of her husband.
Kathryn Swanson, individually and as special administrator of the estate of Denis I. Swanson, filed a lawsuit March 29, in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against McDermott International Inc. and McDermott, Inc. alleging the derrick barge owners failed to provide a reasonably safe place to work.
According to the complaint, the Denis I. Swanson's personal injuries and death due to asbestos exposure were suffered in the course of his employment and caused by the negligence of defendants and the unseaworthiness of their vessels during his work tenure from 1977 to 1997.
The suit says as a result of her husband's death, Kathryn Swanson has suffered loss of consortium, including but not limited to mental anguish, loss of her husband’s support, services, society, companionship, comfort, love, affection, attention, solace and protection.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants failed to maintain their vessels and equipment in a safe and reasonable condition, failed to warn of the dangers of asbestos exposure, failed to provide safe and proper protective equipment and failed to design, construct, repair and maintain their vessels in a safe manner.
Swanson requests a trial by jury, damages as may be warranted by the circumstances, compensation for punitive damages, attorney fees, costs, interest and all other relief to which she is entitled. She is represented by attorneys Rene F. Rocha, III of Morgan & Morgan-New Orleans in New Orleans, and J. Dennis Weitzel and Samuel D. Elswick of Morgan & Morgan PA in Orlando, Florida.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:16-cv-02555