Seaman claims snapped cable broke his leg

A St. Tammany Parish man is suing Gill's Crane & Dozer Service Inc. for more than $50,000 after a snapped cable broke his leg.

Slidell attorneys Vincent Lobello and John Perry filed the petition for damages on behalf of Rene Ruano on May 24 in Orleans Parish Civil District Court.

The suit claims the accident occurred while Ruano was a worker on the defendant's barge on Lake Ponchartrain in June 2010.

Ruano was "assisting in straightening a concrete pile that needed to be capped, when the cable that was being used snapped, crushed petitioner's leg causing both his tibia and fibia to be broken" the suit alleges.

The defendants are liable for failing to provide a safe workplace as well as failing to use the proper cable for the job that was being performed and breaching General Maritime Law, among other things, the suit claims.

The damages listed include "past and future physical pain, suffering and disability" and "Past and future loss of enjoyment of life," among others.

Orleans Parish Judge Madeleine Landrieu has been assigned this case.

Orleans Parish Case 2011-5462