Joseph Johnson has filed a lawsuit against American Cruise Lines, Inc. in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana under the case ID 2:24-cv-01049-JCZ-MBN on April 25, 2024. The complaint is for damages under the Jones Act and general maritime law due to occupational injuries sustained by Johnson while working on a cruise ship owned by the defendant.
Johnson, an American seaman protected by the Jones Act, was employed as an engine room attendant aboard the M/V American Star, a passenger cruise vessel owned and operated by American Cruise Lines. On October 20, 2021, he suffered serious injuries to his esophagus and respiratory system among other parts of his body due to exposure to smoke and fumes from an engine room fire.
The plaintiff alleges that he was ordered by the captain to investigate a fire alarm in the engine room without any formal training or safety equipment. He encountered smoke and fumes while trying to start the vessel's fire pumps. Any pre-existing medical conditions were reportedly aggravated by this incident to such an extent that they became disabling.
Johnson is seeking judgment against American Cruise Lines for negligence under the Jones Act. He contends that it was feasible for the defendant to provide him with a safe place to work and that they failed in their duty of care towards him as their employee.