Representative Cases

Brian Amond v. Professional Divers of New Orleans Inc., Federal Court, New Orleans, Louisiana; Judge Edith Brown Clement; jury trial.
Plaintiff, a commercial diver, claimed he sustained severe decompression sickness while employed by the defendant. Defense strategy exposed the plaintiff's extensive history of drug abuse and past psychiatric problems. Jury verdict: zero.

Eugene Grace v. Zapata Offshore Co., Civil District Court, New Orleans, Louisiana; Judge Richard Garvey; judge-tried case.
Plaintiff, a roustabout working aboard a Zapata-owned and operated rig, alleged back injuries after falling off a pipe rack. At the time of trial, plaintiff had undergone three back surgeries. Verdict: zero.

Eugene Wise v. E.I. Dupont De Nemours and Co., ET AL; Federal Court, Biloxi, Mississippi; jury trial.
Plaintiff, an employee of Brown & Root working at a Mississippi DuPont plant, was injured when machinery in the plant malfunctioned. On the first day of trial, the judge dismissed the claim against DuPont on the defense's urging of the borrowed servant doctrine.

Gwyn Blackard v. Knight's Piping Inc., Federal Court, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Plaintiff, a pipe fitter at Avondale Shipyards, was severely injured when a piece of steel fell on him, piercing his spine. He was rendered a quadriplegic as a result of the accident. Defense efforts established that Knight's Piping employees probably had not caused the accident. Settlement: $15,000.

Millicent Brodtmann ET AL. V. Kremer Marine Inc. ET AL., 34th Judicial Court, St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana; maritime product liability case tried by Judge Kirk Vaughn.
Plaintiffs, the family of an individual killed aboard a pleasure yacht, brought suit for the death caused by a generator malfunction which released carbon monoxide into the vessel's cabin. Judge's verdict: zero as to Kremer Marine. Award of approximately $1.5 million against generator manufacturer, represented by other counsel.

Kenneth P. Choina v. E.I. DuPont De Nemours and Co., Federal Court, New Orleans, Louisiana; Judge Edith Brown Clement; jury trial.
Plaintiff had an exclusive contract to distribute a DuPont product and sued for breach of that contract. Plaintiff's pre-trial demand was $21.5 million. After three separate trials, totaling seven weeks and two appeals to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the jury verdict was $167,000.

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