Cable employee sues Entergy after allegedly suffering injuries from installing a new power line

NEW ORLEANS – A cable employee allegedly sustained severe personal injuries after being shocked by a power line installed by Entergy.

Brandon Martin, and mother Karen Martin, filed suit against Entergy Gulf States Louisiana LLC and their insurer in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court on Jan. 5.

According to the suit, the plaintiff, Brandon Martin, was installing fiber optics on the intersection of Patterson Road and Aurora Street in Algiers on March 8, 2014, as an employee of Cable Man Inc., a Biloxi-based a telecommunications company. The plaintiff's job was to remove old cable wires previously setup by Entergy and then connect new fiber optics.

During the installation, the plaintiff came across a power line, which was supposed to be de-energized previously by Entergy or insulated.

However, the power line was allegedly energized causing severe personal injuries to the petitioner.

The defendants are accused of failing to sustain a safe environment, failing to warn of a dangerous condition, failing to repair the defective power line and failing to prevent a hazardous condition.

The plaintiff is seeking an unspecified amount in damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, mental agony, loss of wages and loss of enjoyment of life.

The plaintiff’s mother, Karen Martin, is seeking a subsequent amount in damages for loss of society and consortium.

The petitioners are represented by J. Neale deGravelles of deGravelles, Palmintier, Holthaus & Frugé.

The case has been assigned to Div. J Judge Paula A. Brown.

Case no. 2015-00006.