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March 13, 2009 |
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ASBESTOS LITIGATION: Aaron Lawsuit Ongoing v. Hercules Offshore Hercules Offshore, Inc. is still a defendant in asbestos-related litigation styled Robert E. Aaron et al. vs. Phillips 66 Company et al. filed in the Circuit Court, Second Judicial District, Jones County, Miss. This is the case name used to refer to several cases that have been filed in the Circuit Courts of the State of Mississippi involving 768 persons that allege personal injury or whose heirs claim their deaths arose out of asbestos exposure in the course of their employment by the defendants between 1965 and 2002. The complaints name as defendants certain of TODCO's subsidiaries and certain subsidiaries of TODCO's former parent. The Company acquired TODCO in July 2007. The number of unaffiliated defendant companies involved in each complaint ranges from about 20 to 70. The complaints allege that the defendant 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 authorized under the Jones Act. The plaintiffs seek awards of unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. All of these cases were assigned to a special master who has approved a form of questionnaire to be completed by plaintiffs so that claims made would be properly served against specific defendants. As of Feb. 26, 2009, about 700 questionnaires were returned and the remaining plaintiffs, who did not submit a questionnaire reply, have had their suits dismissed without prejudice. Of the respondents, about 100 shared periods of employment by TODCO and its former parent which could lead to claims against either company. After providing the questionnaire, each plaintiff was further required to file a separate and individual amended complaint naming those defendants against whom they had a direct claim as identified in the questionnaire answers. Defendants not identified in the amended complaints were dismissed from the plaintiffs' litigation. To date, three plaintiffs named TODCO as a defendant in their amended complaints. Headquartered in Houston, Hercules Offshore, Inc. provides shallow-water drilling and marine services to the oil and natural gas exploration and production industry globally. The Company has six business segments: (1) Domestic Offshore, (2) International Offshore, (3) Inland, (4) Domestic Liftboats, (5) International Liftboats and (6) Delta Towing. |
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