Family of Mississippi Oil Rig Worker Files Wrongful Death Suit

The family of Mississippi oil rig worker Aaron Dale Burkeen have filed a wrongful death lawsuit over the April 20 oil rig explosion in which he died.

Houston, Texas-based attorney Kurt Arnold said in a statement the lawsuit was filed Tuesday in County Court at Law in Galveston County, Texas, on behalf of Burkeen’s wife and two children.

Burkeen, of Philadelphia, worked as a crane operator on the oil rig owned by Swiss-based Transocean Ltd. and operated by BP PLC.

According to the lawsuit, which gives only one side of the legal argument, Burkeen’s duties included getting other crew members to safety.

The lawsuit contends the Deepwater Horizon was unseaworthy, and the defendants were negligent in failing to properly maintain the rig and failing to meet federal safety standards.