[ti:American Sues Movie Companies over Husband’s COVID Death] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]An American woman is suing several companies [00:05.36]in connection with her husband's COVID-19 infection and death. [00:13.08]Patricia Woodward accused companies involved [00:16.84]in the 2021 production of a television series [00:22.28]of ignoring safety measures. [00:26.20]The measures were designed [00:28.28]to prevent the spread of the virus among workers. [00:32.04]Woodward began the action in January [00:36.48]at a federal court in Boston, Massachusetts. [00:40.48]Her husband, Paul Woodward, [00:43.72]worked as a passenger vehicle driver [00:47.24]for the production group [00:49.40]in the town of Provincetown, Massachusetts. [00:53.24]He transported crew to and from their hotel [00:58.60]to places where filming was to be done. [01:02.52]He had tested negative when he began working [01:07.24]on the project in February of 2021. [01:12.80]He left the project to go to the hospital in mid-March [01:18.08]after experiencing signs of COVID-19 infection. [01:24.88]He died of COVID-19 on April 18. [01:29.76]He was 67. [01:33.08]"He passed away on the morning of our 25th anniversary," [01:38.24]wife Patricia Woodward said in an interview [01:42.12]with NBC10 Boston, a local television station. [01:47.56]"So that day, instead of going out to dinner [01:51.52]or having champagne, [01:53.88]I had to go to the funeral home…," she said. [01:59.16]The lawsuit seeks damages for wrongful death, [02:03.28]recklessness and gross negligence, [02:07.44]pain and suffering, and loss. [02:11.24]The companies did not immediately [02:14.80]answer requests for comment. [02:18.36]Patricia Woodward said that the filming in Provincetown [02:22.52]happened before the widespread availability [02:26.16]of COVID-19 vaccines [02:29.04]and during a period of strong COVID-19 restrictions. [02:36.60]During the filming, the production companies [02:39.76]brought in hundreds of workers who stayed in hotels. [02:45.24]The legal case noted [02:47.20]that the defendants' COVID-19 measures [02:51.56]were supposed to include exact and frequent testing, [02:56.36]safe distancing, safe transport [03:00.16]between filming sites and work areas, [03:03.92]and the use of masks and protective equipment. [03:09.48]The legal case also said crew, [03:12.88]actors, contractors, and other employees [03:17.32]"openly flouted and violated the COVID-19 safety" rules. [03:23.40]And it said the companies failed to take [03:27.96]the necessary corrective action about that situation. [03:32.88]For example, legal documents in the case say [03:38.04]that Paul Woodward was ordered to drive a vehicle [03:42.40]that did not have a protective barrier in place. [03:47.92]Barriers separate the driver from the passengers [03:52.44]to prevent possible passage of the virus. [03:57.08]The legal case said other vehicles used in the production [04:01.48]did have protective barriers. [04:04.20]In addition, the lawsuit noted [04:07.92]there were also supposed to be safe distancing, [04:12.36]occupancy limits and masking requirements in the automobile, [04:18.12]but that the rule was ignored by passengers [04:22.40]and not enforced by the defendants. [04:26.60]I'm Caty Weaver. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM