Slip and fall on oily steps leads to lawsuit

After slipping on oily steps, a crewmember has filed a lawsuit against his employer for failing to properly clean the stairwells.

Calvin Verdin filed suit against Settoon Construction Inc. on July 19 in federal court in New Orleans.

The alleged incident occurred on June 10, 2011, as Verdin was working onboard the M/V Christie M. Setton in the navigable waterways of Franklin, La. He states he was injured when he slipped on oil that was on the steps leading to the engine room.

The defendant is accused of failing to maintain the vessel in a reasonably safe condition, failing to safeguard the vessel to protect the complainant as a seaman against the possibility of injury, failing to warn of the defects on the stairwell, failing to discover or correct the dangerous conditions existing on the vessel and failing to operate the vessel in a safe manner.

Settoon Construction is also accused of negligence for failing to fix unsafe and unseaworthy conditions, failing to train operators and other crew members in safety,
failing to properly maintain and clean the corridors and stairwells and failing to take steps to avoid unsafe conditions onboard the M/V Christie M. Settoon.

The plaintiff is seeking damages for physical pain, suffering, discomfort, mental anguish, aggravation and annoyance, disability, medical expenses, lost wages, lost earning capacity, loss of enjoyment of life, punitive damages and court costs.

Verdin is represented by Michael Hingle, Bryan Pfleeger and Donald G. D'Aunoy, Jr. of
Michael Hingle & Associates in Slidell.

U.S. District Judge Helen G. Berrigan is assigned to the case.

Case No. 2:11-cv-01713