Delise
A commercial diver has filed suit against his employer after a crane allegedly crashed onto his worksite.
Shane Brock filed a Jones Act suit against Global Diving & Salvage, ABC Insurance, Superior Energy Services, XYZ Insurance, Wild Well Control and DEF Insurance June 30 in federal court in New Orleans.
According to court records, Brock sustained serious injuries during a dive when he was struck by a platform leg being salvaged by the defendants. Brock says the alleged incident happened aboard the DB Superior Performance during a project to remove a multi-ton platform situated off the coast of Louisiana.
Brock says he was in the process of a bell turn to complete a burn of the platform leg, as instructed by his employer.
He claims the platform piece had been secured to a deck crawler boom crane but broke free and swung back, hitting him. Brock says his supervisor immediately notified him via radio that the crane was capsizing and urged him to "run, run, run". The crane allegedly fell from the ship and dropped 200 feet onto the worksite.
Brock accuses the defendants of negligence and Jones Act violations for not preparing and implementing the appropriate job safety analysis or a safe work plan. They're also accused of failing to conduct safety meetings, failing to communicate a stop work authority protocol and failing to ensure appropriate lines of communication.
Brock says the defendants are negligent for failing to provide him a safe place in which to work along with safe gear and equipment, failing to provide a properly-manned vessel and failing to conduct operations in a safe and proper manner.
Brock is seeking an unspecified amount in damages for medical care and rehabilitation expenses, loss of wages, found, fringe benefits, earning capacity, other financial losses, maintenance and cure, interest and court costs.
Brock is represented by Bobby J. Delise and Alton J. Hall, Jr. of Delise & Hall in New Orleans. A jury trial is demanded.
U.S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon is assigned to the case.
Case No. 2:10cv01883