Rig Explosion Suit Cites Criminal Negligence by BP, Others

Rig Explosion, Deaths and Oil Leak Caused by Criminal Negligence

TRANSOCEAN, BP and HALIBURTON Sued for Employee Death

Lawsuit filed by Plaintiff, Natalie Roshto (on behalf of herself and her 3-year-old son, Blaine Roshto,) suing  TRANSOCEAN, BP and HALIBURTON for criminal negligence in the loss of her husband, and her son’s father, Shane Roshto.

Deepwater Horizon Oil Rig caught fire after exploding on April 20, 2010. Fire boat response crews are seen in the US Coast Guard photo trying to extinguish the remnants of the semisubmersible platform off the coast of Louisiana, on April 21, 2010. Shane Roshto and 10 of his colleagues were killed in the explosion, while 17 others were injured, at least 8 of them seriously.  The rig sank Thursday morning local time some 41 miles off the coast of Louisiana, and was discovered to be leaking at least 1,000 barrels of crude oil per day, despite earlier assurances that the well would not leak.

The defendants cited in the criminal negligence suit are:

(A) TRANSOCEAN, LTD, (TRANSOCEAN ENTITY), a foreign corporation doing business in the State of Louisiana;
(B) TRANSOCEAN OFFSHORE DEEPWATER DRILLING, INC.,
(TRANSOCEAN ENTITY), a foreign corporation doing business in the State of Louisiana;
(C) TRANSOCEAN DEEPWATER, INC. (TRANSOCEAN ENTITY)
(D) BP, PLC, hereinafter referred to as “BP,” a foreign corporation doing business in the State of Louisiana;
(E) BP PRODUCTS NORTH AMERICA, INC., hereinafter referred to as “BP Products,” a foreign corporation doing business in the State of Louisiana; and (F) HALIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC., hereinafter referred to as “Haliburton,” a foreign corporation doing business in the State of Louisiana.

Natalie Roshto claims that HALIBURTON, on of the Defendant cited in the negligence law suit “was engaged in cementing operations of the well and well cap” immediately prior to the explosion that killed her husband.  Based on the information since obtained Mrs Roshto believes  HALIBURTON acted “improperly and negligently” while performing those duties, which was a cause of the explosion.

Her husband Shane Roshto was employed by TRANSOCEAN ENTITIES as a Jones Act seaman, the lawsuit states, and was assigned by TRANSOCEAN ENTITIES to
work aboard the ill-fated DEEPWATER HORIZON.

Paragraph 11 of the lawsuit states:

At all times material hereto, the vessel on which Shane Roshto was injured and/or died was owned, navigated in navigable waters, manned, possessed, managed, controlled, chartered and/or operated by defendants, TRANSOCEAN ENTITIES, BP and/or BP PRODUCTS.

Paragraph 15 of the filed lawsuit, which has been filed with the UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA, states:

The above-described incidents were caused solely by the negligence of defendants, TRANSOCEAN ENTITIES, BP, BP PRODUCTS and HALIBURTON, through their agents, servants and employees, which are more particularly described as follows:

NEGLIGENCE OF TRANSOCEAN ENTITIES
a. Failing to provide a competent crew;
b. Failing to properly supervise its employees;
c. Failing to properly train and/or supervise plaintiff and other employees;
d. Failing to provide plaintiff with a safe place to work, and requiring plaintiff to work in unsafe conditions;
e. Failing to provide sufficient personnel to perform operations aboard the vessel;
f. Failing to properly follow drilling protocols and policies, proper well monitoring
and control practices;
g. Failing to exercise due care and caution;
h. Failing to avoid this accident;
i. Failing to provide decedent with a seaworthy vessel;
h. Other acts of negligence which will be shown more fully at trial.

NEGLIGENCE OF BP AND BP PRODUCTS

a. Failing to properly train and/or supervise its crew and other employees;
b. Failing to ensure that its crew worked in a safe and prudent manner;
c. Failing to provide plaintiff with a safe place to work, and requiring plaintiff to
work in unsafe conditions;
d. Failing to exercise due care and caution;
e. Failing to avoid this accident;
f. Failing to provide decedent with a seaworthy vessel;
g. Other acts of negligence which will be shown more fully at trial.

NEGLIGENCE OF HALIBURTON

a. Failing to sufficiently and competently perform cementing operations aboard the
vessel.;
b. Failing to properly supervise its employees;
c. Failing to properly train and/or supervise plaintiff and other employees;
d. Failing to provide plaintiff with a safe place to work, and requiring plaintiff to
work in unsafe conditions;
e. Failing to provide sufficient personnel to perform operations aboard the vessel;
f. Failing to exercise due care and caution;
g. Failing to avoid this accident;
h. Other acts of negligence which will be shown more fully at trial.

Related Links:

• Gulf of Mexico Oil Leak – Update Apr 27
• Disasters Caused by Oil and gas Drilling, Oil Spills, Leaks, Land, Water and Air Pollution

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