UPDATE: Significant Hurricane Katrina-Related Trial Concluded in Louisiana Federal Court

The trial involving claims that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was negligent in its maintenance of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO), which we discussed here, concluded on May 14, 2009.  Judge Stanwood Duval, Jr. of the United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, is expected to issue his ruling this summer in this non-jury trial.

During the course of the trial, both parties introduced several expert witnesses to support their arguments. The Plaintiffs’ primary argument is that the U.S. Army Corps’ failure to properly maintain and operate the MRGO caused the post-Katrina catastrophic flooding.  The U.S. Army Corps’ defense is based on its argument that that MRGO did not cause the post-Katrina levee breaches and that the flooding would have occurred even if the MRGO had not been constructed.

We will continue to provide updates on this litigation and other Katrina-related litigation on InsureReinsure.com.