Wife seeks deposition in anticipated wrongful death suit

A woman filed a petition to perpetuate her husband’s testimony in a case involving a pending lawsuit against his former employer.

Doris Luther filed a petition with intent to sue Feb. 2 in Jefferson County District Court against Chevron U.S.A. Inc. and Texaco Inc.,  alleging liability for her husband’s illness.

According to complaint, Thomas Luther has been diagnosed with progressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and, as petitioner, Doris Luther intends to notify the defendants of a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging her husband’s disease is due to benzene exposure at work.

Doris Luther desires to elicit testimony regarding her husband's work and chemical exposure history as his recovery is unlikely, the petition states, and Doris Luther believes a gross negligence/wrongful death suit will be filed in the future, and wishes to take her husband's testimony at this time.

Doris Luther requests her husband’s testimony be recorded by videotape together with a written record of the deposition, as per the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. She is represented by attorney Darren Brown of Provost Umphrey Law Firm in Beaumont.

Jefferson County District Court: case number E-196660.