Another personnel basket Jones Act lawsuit filed

For the second time this month, a Jones Act lawsuit has been filed because of injuries caused from the violent jerking of a personnel basket transfer.

The most recent suit was filed Nov. 10 in New Orleans federal court. Plaintiff Willie Otis of Mississippi alleges that as a passenger in a transfer basket on Sept. 16, 2011, a crane malfunction caused the basket to fall and jerk violently. Serious and disabling injuries occurred to his knees and low back, his suit states.

Defendants Nabors Offshore Corp. and Nabors Industries Ltd. are accused of failure to provide a safe working place, failure to properly operate, maintain and repair the crane, and failure to conduct the personnel transfer in a reasonably safe manner.

Otis seeks $1.5 million compensation for physical and mental pain and suffering, medical expenses, loss of wages and earning capacity, compensatory damages, attorney’s fees, cost and interest.

Just over one week before Otis filed his lawsuit, a previous lawsuit was filed in a separate case involving injuries from a personnel basket transfer operation. That plaintiff was also allegedly injured from a violent jerking motion.

Source: Louisiana Record