Seaman claims injury from loading groceries

GALVESTON - A Louisiana seaman claims to have hurt his hand while working in a ship's galley, recent court documents say.

Stephen Peck filed a lawsuit against Island Operating Co. and Apache Corp. on Aug. 15 in Galveston County Court at Law No. 3.

The suit lists Apache as the owner of the South Plateau 10 and Island as the operator. Peck's employer, Logic Controls, is not a party in the case.

Peck claims on May 28 he and co-workers were installing an air compressor system on the vessel when one of Island's employees pulled him off that job and instructed him to help unload groceries into the galley.

The plaintiff states he was instructed to move a 60-pound container of milk when he severely injured his back.

Peck "has been unable to work since," the suit states.

He blames the defendants for failing to train their employees, rushing the work, failing to maintain a safe work environment and failing to assign more than one person to the task of moving the milk.

Consequently, the plaintiff seeks unspecified monetary damages and a jury trial.

He is represented by Arnold & Itkin LLP.

The case has been assigned to Galveston County Court at Law No. 3 Judge Christopher Dupuy.

Cause No. 65,824