LAFAYETTE — A former employee is suing a Texas drilling rig operator, alleging age discrimination, breach of contract and wrongful termination.
Thomas E. Cochran filed a lawsuit Nov. 23 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana against Nabors Drilling Technologies USA Inc., alleging violation of the American with Disability Act and the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
According to the complaint, on July 2, 2013, Cochran, who had started working for Nabors Drilling in 1997, was terminated from his job for failure to report to work and failure to provide a work release. The suit says this happened right after Cochran's authorized short-term FMLA leave for health issues relating to is gall bladder, diaphragm and heart.
The plaintiff alleges Nabors Drilling treated him differently because of his age and disability, and subjected him to discrimination, retaliation and termination for asserting his rights as an individual with a disability.
Cochran seeks trial by jury, compensatory and punitive damages, plus legal interest, attorney fees, court costs and expenses and all relief to which he is justly entitled. He is represented by attorney Matt D. McConnell of McConnell Law Offices in Lafayette.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana Case number 2:16-cv-01633