5th Circuit Upholds Ruling in Katrina Damage Case

A federal appeals court upheld a judge’s ruling that dismissed an engineering firm from a lawsuit involving a Hurricane Katrina damage case.

David and Marilyn Aikens, of Pass Christian, Miss., appealed U.S. District Judge L.T. Senter Jr.’s ruling to dismiss Rimkus Consulting Group Inc. as a defendant in the Aikens’ lawsuit over their damage claim filed following the 2005 storm.

Senter ruled the Aikens failed to show that Houston, Texas-based Rimkus acted with gross negligence or malice.

In the ruling, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed Senter’s decision.

In their lawsuit, the Aikens said a Rimkus engineer initially concluded Katrina’s winds were strong enough to destroy their home — a “very favorable” finding for the homeowners. But the couple claims a Rimkus team leader later revised the engineer’s report to “mollify the language,” so their claim could be denied by USAA Casualty Insurance Co.

A federal jury in Gulfport in January 2008 ordered USAA to pay an additional $64,000 to the Aikens for wind damage to their home and its contents during the Aug. 29, 2005, hurricane.