Oil worker sues after being hit in head by dumpster lid

NEW ORLEANS - An oil worker has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the owners of a fixed oil production platform after allegedly suffering a severe spinal injury when a dumpster lid hit him in the head.

Terry Ferrington filed suit against McMoran Exploration Co. on March 5 in federal court in New Orleans.

The alleged incident occurred on March 6, 2011 while Ferrington was employed by Danos & Curole and was working on a platform in the Gulf of Mexico.

Ferrington states that as he was attempting to discard a heavy bag of trash into the dumpster on the platform when the lid of the dumpster fell onto his head. At the time of the incident, he was unaware of the severity of his injury as he was suffering from food poisoning.

Shortly after being hit in the head, Ferrington was taken to the hospital and treated for the food poisoning. By the following day, Ferrington's injuries continued to worsen and he was taken in for emergency surgery on his spinal cord, which left him a partial quadriplegic.

The defendant is accused of negligence for failing to provide and maintain safe equipment and for failing to warn of the risks of harm upon its platforms.

The plaintiff is asking for an award of damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, mental anguish, disability, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of earning and income earning capacity, punitive damages, interest and court costs.

Ferrington is represented by Scotty E. Chabert Jr. and Henri M. Saunders of Saunders & Chabert in Baton Rouge.

A jury trial is requested.

Case No. 2:12-cv-00588