Family of Seacor Power victim Ernest Williams files lawsuit

FRANKLIN, La. (WAFB) - The family of another victim of the Seacor Power capsizing tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico on April 13 has filed a lawsuit.

Brandy Williams Norris, the daughter of crewmember Ernest J. Williams Jr., 69, of Arnaudville, filed the suit on behalf of the Williams family on Tuesday, April 27, in St. Mary Parish against Seacor Marine, Seacor Liftboats, Talos Energy, and SEMCO.

The lawsuit states the family is seeking damages and requests a trial by jury.

The lawsuit states Seacor and Talos knew or should have known of the deteriorating weather conditions on April 13. The lawsuit also claims Williams’s death was in part caused by the legal fault, negligence, carelessness, and omission of Seacor, Talos, and Semco LLC, which built the lift boat that capsized.

Morris Bart Law Firm is representing the Williams family.

“It seems with information that we have at this time that the vessel should’ve been able to sustain a wave surge of that caliber or SEMCO, as the manufacturer of the vessel, should have warned the user Seacor not to take the vessel out,” said Bart. “So, we’ve got either negligence or we’ve got unseaworthiness in the building of the vessel.”

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Bart was asked how the family is doing and, as you can imagine, Williams’s loved ones are obviously still distraught over what happened.

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