Electrician’s assistant sues over alleged electric shock received at New Orleans Riverwalk project

GRETNA – An electrician’s assistant is suing her employer and the main subcontractor on the New Orleans Riverwalk project after she was allegedly shocked and thrown from a ladder.

Tasha Bernard filed suit against Walter Breaux Electrical Services, RH Electrical Contractors LLC and their insurer in the 24th Judicial District Court on Nov. 13, 2014.

The plaintiff alleges that she was an employee of Walter Breaux Electrical Services as an electrician assistant on May 6, 2014 and was working as a subcontractor providing electrical work for RH Electrical Contractors on the Riverwalk in New Orleans. Bernard contends that while on the worksite she was instructed by her employer to climb a ladder and push wiring into a box, a task she maintains should have been performed by a licensed electrician rather than an electrician assistant. The plaintiff asserts that as she pushed the wiring into the box she was severely shocked and thrown from the ladder to the ground. Bernard claims she was permanently disabled in the incident and received injuries to her back, neck, hand, fingers, eyes, muscles, nerves and other bodily tissues.

The defendant is accused of failing to turn off power to the area where an unlicensed electrician was working, failing to take preventative action, failing to warn of the danger, filing to ensure safety of employees, instructing and unlicensed electrician assistant to perform tasks involving live wiring, failing to provide a safe environment and having unskilled and unlicensed worker performing work beyond the scope of employment.

An unspecified amount in damages is sought for pain and suffering, mental anguish, dysfunction, disability, limitation of movement, impairment of all functions, lost wages and loss of enjoyment of life.

Bernard is represented by Courtney Saia Daughtery of Baton Rouge-based Brouillette Law Firm.

The case has been assigned to Division M Judge Henry G. Sullivan Jr.

Case no. 744-223.