BATON ROUGE – A passenger has filed a lawsuit against an air transport company claiming the helicopter he was on crashed due to pilot negligence.
Plaintiff Chad Gradney filed his federal lawsuit November 2 against Rotorcraft Leasing Company citing various allegations of negligence.
According to the complaint, Gradney was a passenger December 12, 2022, on a helicopter owned and operated by Rotorcraft Leasing Company. While the helicopter was lifting off from a platform in the Gulf of Mexico, Gradney says the pilot lost control of the helicopter midair and rolled to the right so acutely the rotor blades struck the platform and disintegrated. The helicopter then went into a freefall and fell into the water more than 100 feet below. Gradney says he lost consciousness when the helicopter struck the water but regained consciousness in time to undo his seatbelt and escape the sinking helicopter.
Gradney attributes the crash to the negligence of RLC, listing various acts of negligence, such as failure to have a competent pilot, inadequate training and supervision, failure to comply with regulations and procedures, and a disregard for safety protocols.
As a result of the incident, Gradney says he has suffered physical injuries, including spinal cord fractures and herniated discs, requiring extensive medical treatment. He says the event traumatized him, causing him severe psychological and emotional injuries.
Gradney is seeking damages for physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, physical impairment, disfigurement, disability, medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, loss of normal life plus interest, attorney fees, court costs and other relief.
He is being represented by Dave T. Johnson of Johnson Law Office in Eunice.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana case number 3:23-cv-01556