Seamen sue after ship hits jetties

Two men were injured while on board a vessel near Sabine Pass when the boat hit a jettie. Kevin Salsman and Elroy Boutte filed a personal injury suit against the ship's owners on Jan. 22 in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas Beaumont Division.

According to the complaint, Salsman and Boutte were working for Red Fish Rentals on an RHIB vessel on Jan. 22, 2007, when the ship's captain, named as John Doe in the complaint, "negligently navigated the vessel by running into a jettie, causing the vessel to fly up into the air and plaintiffs to fall down on the boat injuring themselves."

The complaint states a tug boat had to be called to rescue the plaintiffs and other passengers.

The suit names Resolve Marine Group and its subsidiaries as defendants.

Plaintiffs are seeking damages for pain and suffering, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of earnings, medical expenses, rehabilitation expenses and loss of insurability.

Clayton Burgess of Lafayette, La., is representing the plaintiffs.

The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Ron Clark.

Case No. 1:08-cv-045-RHC