Wrongful Death - Txattorneys.com

Parents seek $2.5M for son’s death in fire on shrimp boat

The parents of a recently deceased man have filed suit against the owners of the boat that caught fire with their son aboard, causing his death.

Kha Dang and Ngo Thi Dang, individually and on behalf of the estate of Teo Cung Dung, filed suit July 18 in the Jefferson County District Court against TL&S Corp. and Hieu Trung Tran.

According to the complaint, the plaintiffs’ son, Teo Cung Dung, was participating in a month-long shrimping trip on board the Lucky Diamond. He and his three fellow crew members were in the Gulf of Mexico on May 10, 2012, when the boat’s master observed heavy smoke and fire coming from a deck area near crew quarters, according to the complaint.

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The master made attempts to extinguish the fire, but was not successful and ultimately abandoned the ship, the suit states. He boarded another boat and cut the mooring lines to the Lucky Diamond, the complaint says.

The vessel burned for several hours before sinking, the suit states. Three crew members on the vessel, including Teo Cong Dang, died.

Due to their son’s death, the Dangs lost his maintenance, care, support, services, companionship and society, the complaint says.

They blame defendant TL&S Corp., which owned the boat, and Hieu Trung Tran for contributing to their son’s death, saying they negligently failed to ensure necessary inspections occurred, failed to ensure equipment was in a safe operating condition, failed to ensure the vessel was safe for travel and failed to institute proper safety measures, among other negligent actions.

The Dangs seek a judgment of $2.5 million, plus pre- and post-judgment interest at the legal rate, costs and other relief the court deems just.

They are being represented by attorney Anthony G. Buzbee of The Buzbee Law Firm in Houston.

Jefferson County District Court case number A195-894

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Jefferson County District Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note that a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it represents only one side of the story.

Personal Injury Attorney - Txattorneys.com

When an accident occurs due to negligence, an injured person may file suit against the negligent party to recover all of their damages. Damages usually include medical expenses, property damage, pain and suffering, loss of income and earning potential and, possibly, punitive damages.   Proving a physical, emotional, or cognitive injury can be a difficult process. The experienced and knowledgeable attorneys at the Buzbee Law Firm are qualified to handle difficult personal injury and accident cases. We are committed to protecting our clients’ rights and have shown our abilities in the most challenging and complex of injury cases.   When you need a Houston personal injury lawyer, the smart thing to do is ask around, find out who other lawyers call to handle the personal injury claims of their loved ones. We are those lawyers.  For potential new cases, contact us via email at tbuzbee@txattorneys.com or call the office toll-free at 1-800-992-5393

Personal Injury Representation Matters

The Buzbee Law Firm has represented clients in suits against Ford Motor Company related to the Ford Explorer, taking one case to a significant verdict against Ford. Ford ultimately settled with the firm’s clients to their satisfaction.
The firm represented a Texas City family to pursue claims against the Texas City Independent School District related to alleged sexual assault of a special-needs child. Among other things, the settlement resulted in the school changing its policies pertaining to the investigation, prevention, and detection of sexual abuse in the school.
The firm was retained by a Friendswood, Texas family that owned and operated a dry cleaning business. Their dry cleaning machine spewed hot cleaning fluid, burning one of the owners over 60% of his body. The suit resulted in a financial settlement for the family and, as part of the settlement, the manufacturer performed a mandatory retrofit on all of its machines in an effort to prevent events like this in the future.
The firm recently handled a case on behalf of the estate of an elderly Texas City woman against a large energy utility, related to the death of the woman at her home. The case settled during trial for a confidential amount.
The firm is currently handling a case on behalf of a woman who was badly injured when her apartment manager set off a “bug bomb,” which caused her injuries.
The firm represented a local man who was injured at a hardware store when a clerk knocked several boards onto him. The matter settled on the eve of trial to the client’s satisfaction.

Andrew Dao - Attorney At Buzbee Law Firm

Andrew Dao is a native Houstonian who attended the University of Texas at Austin as a Jones Scholar and National Merit Scholar. After obtaining his B.A. in Economics, Andrew obtained his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center.  An associate attorney at the Buzbee Law Firm, Andrew currently handles all aspects of civil litigation.
During his tenure at University of Houston Law Center, Andrew worked for the Honorable Steven Kirkland at the 215^th District Court for Harris County, the Federal Trade Commission, and a prominent personal injury law firm.  Andrew competed in numerous regional and national competitions as a member of the Law Center’s mock trial team—a team he now assists as an associate coach.
Andrew also served as Executive Editor of the Houston Business and Tax Law Journal, was on the Executive Board of Advocates, and was a Research Assistant for Professors Tobi Tabor, Peter Linzer, and Adam Gershowitz.  Andrew holds a certificate in Advanced Arbitration Skills from the A.A. White Dispute Resolution Center.

Andrew is active in the community, and currently serves as an officer for two non-profit organizations.
Andrew is licensed to practice in Texas.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

– Admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas