Gulf platform worker files $1.35 million suit due to stress from fire

Lack of lifejackets and unusable escape capsules are just some of the allegations in a $1.35 million lawsuit filed by an offshore worker who claims he is unable to work due to stress from a fire on an oil platform.

Randall Craig filed the suit Aug. 16 against Apache Deepwater, formerly Mariner Energy Inc, in federal court in New Orleans.

Mr. Craig has not been able to handle the stress of working in an offshore environment since the blaze broke out on the platform Sept. 2, 2010, his lawsuit states. Ever since, he has been forced to work in a less hazardous job that pays less than he used to earn.

The fire erupted while Craig and other employees of Nature Corp. were attempting to bring production back on line. They were stuck on the platform for three hours in rough Gulf of Mexico conditions until being rescued, the suit states, because of unusable and inaccessible escape capsules and an insufficient amount of life jackets.

Craig seeks damages for physical and mental pain and suffering, loss of income and earning capacity and medical expenses.

The defendant stands accused of failure to provide a safe working place, failure to bring production on line in a safe manner and failure to properly utilize appropriate well control equipment.

Source: Louisiana Record