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Accident with drilling pipe put roughneck out of work: offshore accident case settled against Parker Drilling

Admiralty/Maritime

Accident with drilling pipe put roughneck out of work, he pled

Settlement: Confidential

Case Type: Jones Act, Admiralty/Maritime - Unseaworthiness, Negligence - Negligent Training

Case: Mitchell Rohde v. Parker Drilling, No. 2004-17353

Venue: Harris County District Court, 152nd, TX

Judge: Kenneth Wise

Date: 04-08-2005

PLAINTIFF(S)

Attorney:

Brian A. Beckcom; Vujasinovic & Beckcom; Houston, TX, for Mitchell Rohde

Expert:

None

DEFENDANT(S)

Attorney:

Ronnie W. BahamJr.; White, McKillop & Baham; Houston, TX, for Parker Drilling Co.

Expert:

None

Facts:
On July 9, 2004, plaintiff Mitchell Rohde, 45, a roughneck, was working on a Parker Drilling offshore "jack-up" rig in the Gulf of Mexico. He claimed another employee failed to control the speed of a joint of drilling pipe, and it unexpectedly came through the V-Door, which is an opening in the derrick opposite the drawworks used for bringing in drill pipe and casing from the nearby pipe racks, throwing Rohde to the floor. Rohde reported a back strain, was given pain medication, and sent back to work. Two weeks after he reported the incident, Rohde quit his employment with Parker Drilling.

Rohde sued Parker Drilling Co., Houston, under the Jones Act, claiming that the injuries he sustained were proximately caused by the negligence and gross negligence of Parker Drilling, and unseaworthiness of the vessel.

Rohde claimed that Parker Drilling failed to have adequate personnel, to properly instruct, train, supervise, and undertake lifting procedures, to indicate that the accident was a lost time accident, to provide sufficient assistance with respect to the operation in question, to provide proper equipment and tools for the operation in question, and to provide adequate medical care after the fall.

Parker Drilling argued that the vessel was seaworthy and that Rohde was properly trained. It also argued that Rohde continued to work after the incident and quit his employment not because of injury, but because it was too far to commute from his home in San Antonio to Louisiana.

Injury:
About a month after the incident, Rohde continued to experience back and neck pain. He sought treatment with an orthopedic surgeon in San Antonio. MRI films revealed herniated discs in his neck and back. Rohde underwent a series of epidural steroid injections but claimed that those injections were not successful in eliminating his neck and back pain. Accordingly, the doctor recommended surgical intervention for his low back and neck. The first procedure the doctor recommended was a laminectomy, discectomy, and fusion and L4-5. Rohde claimed that the injury severely affected his ability to find gainful employment. A vocational rehabilitation consultant hired by

Plaintiff provided a vocational assessment, opinions and assistance. He concluded that Rohde was completely disabled from work and will suffer vocational impairment for the rest of his life.

Verdict Information The case was settled in 10 months for a confidential amount, three weeks before the case was set for trial preferentially.

Editor's Comments Defense counsel did not respond to two phone calls or a faxed draft of this report.