Second seaman sues BP over accident between oil spill cleanup boats

A second lawsuit has been filed in Orleans Parish Civil District Court in relation to an accident between two ships that were hired by BP to help with clean up of last year's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

New Iberia attorney Brennan Stockstill filed a lawsuit on behalf of Terrebonne Parish resident Quincy Adams Sr. on June 8. Stockstill filed a suit on behalf of Darrell Lacox, also from Terrebonne, on the same day.

Both suits name 18 defendants including BP PLC, Twenty Grand Offshore Inc., Tidewater Marine LLC, the boats involved and their captains.

The plaintiffs are seeking damages in excess of $50,000 in both suits.

Adams suffered injuries "to his entire body, joints, bones, ligaments, and muscles, and all of said injuries have been a source of physical pain and mental anguish and have resulted in residual dysfunction, limitation of motion and physical impairment of function," the suit claims.

The accident allegedly occurred in June 2010. Adams was "an unrestrained passenger" on a boat called The Mister Randy, owned by Twenty Grand Offshore, when it hit the back of a boat called the Macy Emily "traveling about 15 miles per hour."

The suit states Adams was seated when "suddenly and without warning he was jarred forward" which "caused him to be in pain."

Adams was transported to a medical ship where he underwent an examination before being transported to Plaquemines Parish Medical Center.

The suit claims the ships involved were negligent in failing to provide a safe environment for works, as well as failing to provide adequate crew training.

The suit claims the subcontractors that owned the vessels are liable for failing to provide a seaworthy vessel.

Orleans Parish Judge Madeleine Landrieu is overseeing this case.

Orleans Parish Suit 2011-6030