Case Filed Against Bouchard for Parents of Deceased Son

On October 20, a seaman was killed after the oil barge he was aboard exploded off the coast of Port Aransas. While picking up work from the Bouchard Transportation Company, the presumed-dead sailor set out for work on a company owned, operated, and managed vessel. Only a few hours after shipping off, he and another crew member were caught in the explosion and went missing.

One of the missing crew members was found dead a few days later. As of October 28, our client has yet to be found. According to Capt. Bobby Grumbles of the Aransas-Corpus Christi Pilots Association, the explosion occurred while a tug was pulling in anchor around 4:30 am. The explosion was reportedly massive enough to awaken residents of Rockport.

The oil barge exploded while carrying approximately 133,000 barrels of crude oil. The defendant’s negligence is only enhanced by the realization of what materials were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident. As a fuel barge, an explosion is even more potentially catastrophic. While the investigation is ongoing, the cause of the explosion is still unknown over two weeks later.

The Damages The Plaintiffs Are Seeking

In summary of the allegations, the plaintiffs have decided to sue Bouchard for gross negligence, negligence, and negligence per se. These allegations were made in light of Bouchard’s failure to train employees and maintain safety standards set forth by authorities such as OSHA and the United States Coast Guard. Arguably the worst of Bouchard’s negligence comes from failing to follow the companies own safety rules and regulations. If a company cannot hold to its own standard of safety, how can it be expected to follow the rules and regulations of governing authorities?

The parents of the deceased were the ones who came to Arnold & Itkin looking for justice for their son. Only 13 days from the initial wrongful death incident, we have filed the case and are ready to fight for a family who has lost their beloved son. Our hearts are with our clients, and we stand with them in the face of a tragic injustice. We hope that this case will bring peace for our clients, and will hold Bouchard liable for the role they played in this man’s unnecessary death.

In the wake of tragedy, Arnold & Itkin have begun pursuing justice on behalf of our clients. Our firm is devastated by the gross negligence shown by the defendant, and we hope to prevent incidents like this from occurring ever again.