NEW ORLEANS – Mississippi citizens and companies allege that law firms they hired to represent their claims in relation to the Deepwater Horizon spill negligently failed to carry out their duties per the terms of a contract.
Gauci Custom Builders LLC, Winter Garden Italian American Bistro LLC, Karen Gauci and Joseph V. Gauci filed a complaint on April 4 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Brent Coon & Associates Law Firm PC, Brent Coon, Eric W. Newell, John Thomas, Biskobing Law PC and Doug Karus seeking declaratory judgment
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that, in Oct. 29, 2012, they entered into a contract for defendants to represent plaintiffs in pursuing their claim arising out of the Deepwater Horizon spill. Defendants informed plaintiffs that the value of their claims could reach $12 million, the suit states. They allege that as a result of defendants’ failure to timely file and serve complaints, plaintiffs actually lost, or were at high risk of losing, all right to pursue compensation arising out of the Deepwater Horizon spill.
The plaintiffs holds Brent Coon & Associates Law Firm PC, Coon, Newell, Thomas, Biskobing Law PC and Karus responsible because the defendants allegedly did not timely file and serve the required lawsuits and statements on plaintiffs’ behalf.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek damages in an amount exceeding $16 million, punitive damages, cost of court, all legal fees and all other relief reasonable under the premises. They are represented by George W. Healy IV of George W. Healy IV & Associates in Gulfport, Mississippi.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:17-cv-02881