La. Court Revisits Prescription and Dismisses Remaining Survivor Claims Against Shell

NEW ORLEANS - A Louisiana federal judge has amended its previous ruling on prescription and dismissed all remaining wrongful death and survivor claims brought by the family of a worker allegedly exposed to benzene at a Shell Oil Co. refinery in the 1970s. Frank v. Shell Oil Co., No. 11-871 (E.D. La.).

In his April 12 order, Judge Eldon E. Fallon of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, who earlier dismissed all claims but those against Shell executives alleging exposure from 1972 and 1975, agreed with Shell that the survival statute in effect in those years …