Lawsuit filed for fatal crane accident at the LOOP in the Gulf

                                         The LOOP
                                       (jerrylabella.com)

Family members of a technician who was killed in a crane accident at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Platform (“LOOP”) have filed a lawsuit against the companies responsible for the crane’s maintenance.

On Oct. 30, 2010, Nolan Knoblock, Jr. was replacing an overhead light bulb on the LOOP’s West Bridge area. In order to access the light bulb, he used the overhead crane as a work platform. The crane suddenly lurched forward and pinned him between it and a cable tray.

When other workers reached the scene they freed him and performed medical first aid but were unable to save him.

After the accident, LOOP investigators found a control wiring problem was responsible for the accident.

Plaintiffs filing individually and on behalf of Nolan Knoblock, Jr. are Evangeline Matherne Knoblock, Nolan Paul Knoblock, Brent Christopher Knoblock and Kurt Michael Knoblock. They seek damages for medical expenses, loss of services and support, loss of care and affection, grief and mental anguish, and punitive damages. They also ask for damages for the decedent’s conscious pain and suffering prior to death.

Named as defendants are Offshore Process Services Inc., Konecranes Inc., Donavan Meyer Associates Inc., Oil States Martec Crane Services Inc., Oil States MCS Inc. and Oil States Industries Inc. They are accused of negligence for failure to complete a thorough inspection of the crane, failure to certify that the crane was in good working order, and for failure to notify LOOP authorities about the control wiring problem.

The case was initially filed in Tangipahoa Parish (La.) District Court on Oct. 27. The defendants removed it to New Orleans federal court on Nov. 28.

The LOOP is a deepwater terminal near the town of Port Fourchon.

Source: Louisiana Record