Offshore worker sues after being hit in the head with falling pipe

Claiming he was hit in the head with a piece of pipe and thrown across a vessel, an offshore worker has filed a lawsuit against the operators of an oil and gas platform.

Scott Joseph Delahoussaye, individually and on behalf of his minor son, filed suit against Pisces Energy, Pisces Energy Management Co., Palm Energy Group, Palm Energy Offshore, and Palm Energy Partners on Aug. 9 in federal court in New Orleans.

Delahoussaye was employed by Warrior Energy Services as a Class II Operator and assigned to work on various oil and gas production facilities in the Gulf of Mexico. During an operation to transfer equipment from the platform to a vessel in August 2009, a crane allegedly struck a piece of pipe causing it to fall and strike Delahoussaye, throwing him across the deck of the vessel.

The defendants are accused of allowing the load of the crane to strike a stationary object, attempting to handle a load with the crane without all necessary personnel, failing to observe and adhere to the applicable law, rules, and/or regulations, failing to warn of the impending incident, failing to warn of unsafe and/or unreasonably dangerous conditions, failing to properly train and supervise, failing to provide a safe place to work and failing to provide a vessel, crew and equipment which were reasonably fit for their intended purpose.

Delahoussaye is seeking damages for medical expenses, loss of earnings and impaired earning capacity, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish and emotional trauma, disability, scarring and disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, interest, attorney fees and punitive damages.

He is represented by David Bateman of Bateman Law Firm in Baton Rouge and Barton Bernard of Bernard & Hart in Lafayette.

U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey is assigned to the case.

Case No. 2:10cv02624