Refinery sued by safety inspector who claims he was injured on the job

GRETNA – A refinery is being sued by a safety inspector who claims he was injured and later fired by his employer for seeking treatment and workers’ compensation relief.

Rafael Mateo filed suit against Ardent Sevies LLC in the 24th Judicial District Court on March 31.

Mateo asserts that he was an employee of Ardent Services LLC and was working as a safety inspector at the Targa Refinery in Montague, Texas in November 2011 when he was allegedly required by his employer to do work outside of his normal job description. The plaintiff alleges his job description included relatively light work and no heavy manual labor. He claims his injury happened when he was asked to pull a heavy cable.

Mateo claims he reported the injury to his supervisor, but was not given access to medical treatment and was later denied treatment when he went to see doctors because it was a workers’ compensation case.

The plaintiff asserts that after seeing his personal physician twice and reporting the injury he was terminated from his position.

The defendant is accused of violation of Louisiana’s Workers’ Compensation Laws and discriminatory actions.

Damages in the amount of one year’s salary is sought by the plaintiff.

Mateo is represented by Lloyd N. Frischhertz of New Orleans-based Frischhertz, Poulliard, Frischhertz & Impastato LLC.

The case has been assigned to Division E Judge John J. Molaisson Jr.

Case no. 736-966.