 |
March 13, 2009 |
|
|
|
 |
ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Parker Drilling Units Facing Miss. Lawsuits Parker Drilling Company and certain of its subsidiaries continue to be defendants in asbestos-related lawsuits filed in the Circuit Courts of the State of Mississippi. In August 2004, the Company was notified that certain of its subsidiaries have been named, along with other defendants, in several complaints that have been filed by several hundred persons that allege that they were employed by some of the named defendants between 1965 and 1986. The complaints name as defendants numerous other companies that are not affiliated with the Company, including companies that allegedly manufactured drilling-related products containing asbestos that are the subject of the complaints. The complaints allege that the Company's subsidiaries and other drilling contractors used asbestos-containing products in offshore drilling operations, land-based drilling operations and in drilling structures, drilling rigs, vessels and other equipment and assert claims based on negligence and strict liability and claims under the Jones Act and that the plaintiffs are entitled to monetary damages. Based on the report of the special master, these complaints have been severed and venue of the claims transferred to the county in which the plaintiff resides or the county in which the cause of action allegedly accrued. Subsequent to the filing of amended complaints, the Company has joined with other co-defendants in filing motions to compel discovery to determine what plaintiffs have an employment relationship with which defendant, including whether or not any plaintiffs have an employment relationship with subsidiaries of the Company. Out of 668 amended single-plaintiff complaints filed to date, 16 plaintiffs have identified the Company or one of its affiliates as a defendant. Discovery is proceeding in groups of 60 and none of the plaintiff complaints naming the Company are included in the first 60 (Group I). The initial discovery of Group I resulted in certain dismissals with prejudice, two dismissals without prejudice and two withdraws from Group I, leaving 40 plaintiffs remaining in Group I. Selection of Discovery Group II was completed on April 21, 2008. Out of the 60 plaintiffs selected, the Company was named in one suit in which the plaintiff claims that during 1973 he earned $587.40 while working for a former subsidiary of a company Parker Drilling acquired in 1996. No amounts were accrued at Dec. 31, 2008. Headquartered in Houston, Parker Drilling Company provides contract drilling and drilling-related services. Since beginning operations in 1934, the Company has operated in 53 foreign countries and the United States. |
|
|
||
| return to main page | ||
|
Lloyd's Asbestos Litigation Reporter
is a weekly newsletter distributed every Friday co-published by
Bankruptcy Creditors' Service, Inc., Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, USA, and
Beard Group, Inc., Frederick, Maryland, USA.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. ISSN: 1945-4694.
This material is copyrighted and any commercial use, resale or publication
in any form (including e-mail forwarding, electronic re-mailing and photocopying)
is strictly prohibited without prior written permission of the publishers.
Information contained herein is obtained from sources believed to be reliable,
but is not guaranteed.
The Lloyd's Asbestos Litigation Reporter subscription rate is $575 for six months delivered via e-mail.
Additional e-mail subscriptions for members of the same firm
for the term of the initial subscription or balance thereof, are $25 each.
For subscription information, contact Christopher Beard at 240/629-3300 ext 1.