Shepherd v. Maritime Overseas Corp.

The plaintiffs in these consolidated actions are 1) former seamen who claim to have suffered severe and debilitating illness because of exposure to asbestos while working on board various ships that were owned and operated by the defendants; 2) the personal representatives of deceased seamen who the representatives say died as a result of exposure to asbestos; and 3) the seamen's wives, who sue derivatively for damages for loss of consortium. The plaintiffs base their right to recover damages on, among other things, the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C. App. § 688 et seq., and general maritime law. The…