Many Florida residents have been a passenger in a boat or on a cruise ship and understand that while sailing on the water can be a fun experience, it can be risky. High winds and extreme weather conditions can cause the water to become choppy. This can cause water to come into the vessel or even cause it to capsize. A Louisiana man working on a ship operated by Offshore Services of Acadiana is suing the company in a premises liability claim after he slipped and fell.
The man, a cook on the ship, suffered the slip and fall incident in October 2012. He was working on a vessel, called the Mediterranean, when he claims the boat embarked into high winds and rough seas. He then slipped and fell on the deck. He blames Offshore Services of Acadiana for a wet deck and no non-skid surface to prevent the accident.
In the lawsuit, the man is making multiple accusations against the company. He claims the company is at fault for not servicing and maintaining the deck area. He says the company had no policies in place to promote safety and prevent the accident from occurring. The man also maintains that the company did nothing to clean up the excess water on the deck nor did it provide a non-skid surface even though the company knew that a wet deck was a possibility considering the weather conditions.
The lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of Texas on Oct. 15. It is unknown how much the man is asking in damages. The extent of his injuries is also unknown.
Every employer needs to provide a safe working environment for employees. Those injured on the job or on another person’s property do have legal rights, including the ability to seek financial compensation through a civil suit.
Source:
The Southeast Texas Record, “Lawsuit says ship’s voyage into rough seas led to La. cook’s slip-and-fall” John Suayan, Oct. 17, 2013
