Dead shrimper’s family reaches settlement with boat owner By SERGIO CHAPA The Brownsville Herald January 8, 2005 — An out-of-court settlement was reached earlier this week with the family of a shrimper who was allegedly brain damaged by a reaction from a chemical used to preserve his vessel’s harvest. According to court records, the family of Angel Romero Jr. reached a confidential out-of-court settlement Monday with shrimp boat owner Carmelita Inc., its parent company Nevgulmarco Inc., and chemical manufacturer Univar, Inc. Dallas-based Zimco Inc. is also listed as a defendant. The family’s lawyer Ernesto Gamez declined to comment on the case Friday because of the confidential nature of the settlement. In the lawsuit, the family said Romero worked as one of three crewmembers aboard the “Carmelita,” a Port Isabel shrimp boat. While out in the Gulf of Mexico on July 21, 2003, the crew used sodium metabisulfite, otherwise known as “shrimp dip,” to preserve their harvest. According to the lawsuit, a chemical reaction with the shrimp dip created a cloud of sulfur dioxide in the vessel’s airtight hold. While the boat was at sea, the ship’s captain allegedly asked Romero to go down to the holding area to perform a task. While down in the ship’s cargo hold, Romero was overcome by the sulfur dioxide clouds. He was found unconscious by the boat’s third crewman and taken to the mainland for medical treatment by the U.S. Coast Guard. According to the lawsuit, Romero, a husband and father of two children, suffered permanent physical and mental disabilities from a lack of oxygen to his brain.