Family sues production companies after man dies from COVID while working on American Horror Story
EAST BRIDGEWATER - The family of an East Bridgewater man who died from COVID-19 after working in the filming project of the American Horror Story series, filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit against three Hollywood production companies.
Paul Woodward drove a passenger van, transporting cast and crew to and from the set of the show filmed in Provincetown in February and March of 2021, before vaccines were widely available to the public. His family alleges that Twentieth Century Fox, Ryan Murphy Productions, and the Walt Disney Company did not follow their own COVID safety protocols.
"He was given a van that did not have a spit shield. There was no plexi-glass barrier separating him from all the passengers. One was requested. The request was denied," said Attorney Jonathan Sweet of Keches Law Group who is representing the family.
Sweet says masking and social distancing protocols in the van were also not adhered to.
Paul tested negative for the virus when he started the job, began to feel ill on March 13, and passed away on April 18, 2021.
Sweet says the case is unique because Paul worked in a so-called production bubble, where all individuals working on the set stayed in hotels, away from their families, to reduce COVID exposure.
"We know that he tested negative when he arrived, he was symptom free. We know that there were other cases of COVID that broke out on this set," Sweet said.
Paul's wife, Patricia Woodward, says the family never received condolences from the production companies. She says her family is seeking a little closure.
"I had to go to the funeral home and pick out a casket on our wedding anniversary instead of celebrating that day and having champagne and a nice dinner," said Patricia. "Nothing is going to change me spending the rest of my life without my husband but hopefully there will be some sort of justice."
WBZ reached out to the production companies for comment but did not receive a response.