Bennett
A local judge has ordered that plaintiff Rafael Gutierrez, who injured his back while lifting equipment, take nothing from defendant Rowan Companies.
As previously reported, Gutierrez filed a lawsuit Jan. 22 in Jefferson County District Court against Rowan.
Court records show that Gutierrez filed two seperate motions to compel mediation in hopes of forcing a settlement conference with Rowan, with the last one coming in June.
Judge Bob Wortham, 58th District Court, had already once ordered the parties into mediation, court records show.
On Aug. 9, a final judgment was entered in the case, stating that the parties announced that the dispute had been compromised and settled, court papers say.
The judgment finds in favor of Rowan and orders that Gutierrez take nothing.
In his suit, Gutierrez claims he worked as a welder for Precision Petroleum on April 2, 2009, when he and his co-workers were assigned to work on an old land rig and remodel new rigs.
"Plaintiff and two other Precision Petroleum employees were lifting the pad eyes by hand," the suit states. "They carried it over to where it would be installed. When they let it down, all of the weight ended up being held by Plaintiff. Plaintiff heard a 'pop' in his lower back."
Gutierrez was represented by Steven Barkley of Beaumont.
Attorney Karen Bennett of the Beaumont law firm Germer Gertz represented Rowan.
Case No. A185-776