BATON ROUGE — An offshore technician is suing Seadrill Americas Inc., a vessel owner, alleging insufficient measures were taken to prevent injuries.
Michael Sullivan filed a complaint on Sept. 14 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana against Seadrill Americas Inc. alleging that the vessel owner failed to provide a seaworthy vessel.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on July 13, 2014, he was working as a crew member on board the defendant's vessel, the West Auriga. While working on the vessel's top drive, he lost his balance and fell from the ladder, causing injuries that required him to undergo surgical procedures, the suit alleges. The plaintiff holds Seadrill Americas Inc. responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to provide a safe place to work, failed to ensure that its vessel did not contain any unseaworthy conditions and failed to provide proper assistance and/or tools for the job.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment against the defendant in a sum to be proven at trial, plus maintenance and cure, legal interest, attorney's fees, costs and all other just relief. He is represented by Brian C. Colomb of Domengeaux Wright Roy Edwards & Colomb LLC in Lafayette.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana Case number 3:16-cv-00611