Spagnoletti Law Firm recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the surviving widow of a maritime worker who contracted COVID-19 while working on a vessel. The deceased worked as a chief engineer on a chemical tanker. While the ship was in port in Texas, there was an outbreak of COVID-19 on the vessel. The victim contracted the disease, and required medical treatment on shore. Instead of remaining in port so he could receive additional care, the vessel left. The worker’s condition worsened, and he eventually lost his life in a hospital in Mexico.
The lawsuit brings negligence claims against the owner and operator of the chemical tanker involved in the incident. The lawsuit alleges the Defendants were negligent in the following ways:
(a) failing to maintain the vessel and her appurtenances and/or equipment in a safe and reasonable state of repair;
(b) failing to take reasonable precautions for Decedent’s safety;
(c) failing to provide Decedent with a reasonably safe place to work;
(d) failing to provide necessary medical treatment for Decedent;
(e) failing to implement adequate safety protocols and measures regarding COVID-19 on the vessel;
(f) failing to safely quarantine COVID-19 positive crew members;
(g) failing to safely evaluate the conditions present at the time of Decedent’s work;
(h) failing to perform adequate safety meetings and job safety analyses to identify and minimize the risk to Decedent and others;
(i) failing to eliminate dangerous conditions on the vessel;
(j) failing to adequately train the vessel’s crew members;
(k) failing to implement necessary policies and procedures that would have prevented Decedent’s exposure to COVID-19; and,
(l) failing to provide maintenance and cure benefits under the general maritime law;
The widow is represented by Spagnoletti Law Firm attorneys Marcus Spagnoletti and Eric Rhine.
Spagnoletti Law Firm has attorneys licensed in Texas, Florida, and New York. We have handled numerous cases involving complex litigation in both federal and state court across the country. Our attorneys have extensive experience in litigation of personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. Our attorneys have the skills needed to aggressively represent the families of loved ones or those who have been seriously injured as the result of exposure to a disease while on a vessel.
The experienced attorneys at Spagnoletti Law Firm can help you understand your rights if you or a loved one was seriously injured or died as a result of injuries on an tanker. Please contact us online or call 713-804-9306 or 877-678-5864 to learn more about your legal rights.