Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Seaman Injured by Personnel Basket

by | Sep 2, 2019 | Civil litigation, Maritime Law, Offshore accidents

Our firm recently filed suit on behalf of an offshore worker who was injured while working as a deckhand for REC Marine Logistics on the vessel the Dominic S.  The worker was injured while he was assisting during a personnel basket transfer.  A crane on a platform operated by Cox Operating LLC was being used to transfer a Cox employee from the platform to the deck of the vessel beside it.  As the personnel basket was lowered, it swung to the side, striking the Plaintiff violently, and knocking him to the deck of the vessel.

The lawsuit alleges that Cox Operating was negligent in:

(a) failing to provide proper and adequate supervision of the lift;
(b) failing to properly coordinate the lift;
(c) failing to take reasonable precautions for Plaintiff’s safety;
(d) failing to maintain adequate communication with the crane operator;
(e) failing to exercise stop work authority;
(f) failing to perform adequate safety meetings and analyses to identify and minimize the risk to Plaintiff and others;
(g) failing to assess the conditions on board the vessel prior to beginning the lift;
(h) failing to properly train its employees about the proper conditions to conduct a personnel basket transfer;
(i) failing to have enough personnel to safely perform the transfer; and
(j) allowing an incompetent and reckless crane operator to operate the crane.

It goes without saying that a platform operator must ensure the safety of those employees working on the platform as well as seamen who are performing work on nearby vessels.  Under the Code of Federal Regulations, platform operators have a number of non-delegable responsibilities, including those of overseeing operations that are occurring on the platform.

Our attorneys have extensive experience in maritime personal injury litigation and the skills needed to represent seamen who have been seriously injured as a result of the negligence of another party. Spagnoletti Law Firm has lawyers admitted to practice in Texas, Florida and New York, and has handled maritime lawsuits throughout the country.  The firm has filed and litigated numerous lawsuits arising out of personnel basket transfers.

The experienced maritime attorneys at Spagnoletti Law Firm can help you understand your rights under the Jones Act. There are strict and short time limits on making claims related to personnel basket accidents, so please contact us online or call 713-804-9306 or 877-678-5864 to learn more about your rights.