La. Court Retains Jurisdiction of Secondhand Asbestos Exposure Suit Against Avondale

NEW ORLEANS –– A Louisiana court has retained jurisdiction of a secondhand asbestos exposure lawsuit, maintaining that the defendant’s removal of the claims was timely.

In the Dec. 4 order, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana found that the plaintiff’s complaint did not put the defendant on notice that a federal defense was available.

Plaintiff Ethel Sampey asserted the underlying claims, contending that she developed malignant mesothelioma after secondhand exposure to asbestos through her uncle, Huey Levron, a former Avondale Shipyard worker and, additionally, through exposure from Avondale workers she served when employed as a …