NEW ORLEANS — An engineer is suing two offshore supply vessel operators, alleging he was beaten by the ship's captain.
Ian J. Dufrene filed a lawsuit June 23 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Alliance Offshore LLC and Alliance Lifeboats LLC, alleging breach of duty in failing to provide a safe place to work.
According to the complaint, on May 8, while the defendants' vessel the M/V Raven was in navigable waters, Dufrene sustained severe, painful, and disabling injuries to his back, neck, hips, and other parts of his body when he was attacked by the vessel’s captain, who assaulted him in the ship's living quarters.
The suit says Dufrene sustained physical and mental pain and suffering, disability, loss of wages and earning capacity and medical expenses. The plaintiff alleges the defendants failed to provide prescribed medical treatment for his injuries and failed to pay his maintenance benefits.
Dufrene seeks a trial by jury, compensatory damages, past and future maintenance and cure, punitive damages reasonable attorney fees, all taxable costs and interest, plus any additional relief which the matter requires. He is represented by attorneys Paul M. Sterbcow of Lewis, Kullman, Sterbcow & Abramson in New Orleans, and Matthew D. Shaffer of Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris LLP in Houston.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:16-cv-11516