Seaman sues after injuring back while moving underwater jacks

A commercial diver has filed a Jones Act lawsuit after allegedly injuring his back while trying to move underwater jacks.

Robert Forrest filed suit against Global Industries Offshore Sept. 7 in federal court in New Orleans.

At the time of the alleged injury, Forrest says he was working as a seaman and commercial diver of the vessel Titan 2, owned by Global Industries Offshore.

Forrest states he severely injured his neck while attempting to move underwater jacks in January 2008.

The defendant is accused of negligence for failing to plan the dive, assess and reduce the inherent risk of the dive and for failing to properly man, equip, maintain and operate the Titan 2.

Global Industries Offshore is also accused of negligence for failing to provide Forrest with a safe and non-hazardous workplace, failing to provide proper and sufficient tools to complete the tasks, failing to establish safe diving protocol for the complexities of the dive and failing to establish and implement a Job Safety Analysis to identify and address the inherent hazards associated with the dive.

Forrest is seeking damages for emotional trauma and distress, loss of future life pleasures, disfigurement and impairment, loss of wages, found, fringe benefits, earning capacity, medical expenses and court costs.

Forrest is represented by Bobby J. Delise and Alton J. Hall of Delise & Hall in New Orleans.

U.S. District Judge Ivan L. R. Lemelle is assigned to the case.

Case No. 2:10cv02955