NEW ORLEANS — A crew member is suing Manson Gulf LLC, a derrick barge operator, citing alleged insufficient measures were taken to prevent injuries.
Kenneth Wilson filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Manson Gulf LLC alleging that the derrick barge operator violated the Jones Act and General Maritime Law.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that, on Dec. 22, 2013, he was sitting in the operator’s chair of defendant's D/B Wotan while it was being towed in rough seas when a large wave hit the vessel causing the chair to fall over. As a result, he fell to the floor and sustained injury. To date, he continues to suffer pain and discomfort from a non-healing fracture. The plaintiff holds Manson Gulf LLC responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to provide a secured operator’s chair, failed to provide a safe place to work and failed to provide timely medical treatment.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks compensation for all damages that are reasonable, plus interest and all costs of these proceedings and for all equitable relief which the court deems necessary. He is represented by Charles C. Bourque, Jr. and Joseph G. Jevic, III of St. Martin & Bourque in Houma and Keenan K. Kelly of Kelly & Townsend LLC in Natchitoches.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:16-cv-14918