Family of El Faro victim launches $100 million lawsuit

“I never thought I would see the day when a company with such loyal employees would place more emphasis on making a dollar than protecting a life”.

In cases like the El Faro, there is also no need to file a lawsuit right away, said Steven Marks, co-managing partner at Podhurst Orseck, a Miami-based boutique law firm that specializes in representing victims of large scale tragedies.

The cargo ship went down east of the Bahamas in 15,000 feet of water after losing propulsion and getting caught in Hurricane Joaquin.

“You could’ve waited. The ship was not seaworthy and you all should’ve known that”.

But after a full week of looking, they only turned up debris and one dead body and the search for the ship, which is believed to have sunk, and the crew was called off.

The hurricane at that point was a Category 4, with winds in excess of 120 miles per hour churning 50-foot waves. The search lasted seven days from when crews were last in communication with the Coast Guard.

The complaint was filed against the owner of the cargo ship TOTE Services, Inc. d.b.a. TOTE Maritime, Puerto Rico, and ship Capt. Michael Davidson.

In a release, Jordan’s mother said, “Why were Lonnie and his coworkers sent into that storm?”

Gary said the lawsuit was also meant to elicit change in the shipping industry and would hopefully provide information for relatives with questions.

Tote Maritime declined to discuss the lawsuit and a spokesman said the company was “fully focused on supporting the families and their loved ones”.

“A no-sail order is a big deal”, John M. Cullather, a former congressional staffer who worked on marine safety legislation, told The New York Times.

The National Transportation Safety Board has launched its investigation into the sinking, and is now attempting to work with the U.S. Navy to retrieve the vessel’s data recorder.

NTSB investigators about to board El Yunque (sister ship of #ElFaro) in Jacksonville.