Allison
Claiming he slipped and twisted his back while attempting to take samples of petroleum cargoes, David W. Robinson filed suit against Unicom Management Serv-Cyp and Rural Shipping Ltd.
The suit was filed on Aug. 9 in the Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont Division.
According to the suit, the incident occurred on July 20, 2010, while Robinson was employed as a marine surveyor/gauger with Petromar International and was retained to take samples of bulk petroleum cargoes being loaded on board the M/T Tverskoy bridge.
Robinson states that the chief officer directed him over a series of pipes on deck instead of backtracking to the common catwalk. According to the lawsuit, Robinson slipped on an unknown substance and fell. He claims he suffered serious and disabling injuries, which include a back injury.
The defendants are accused of negligence as a result of the vessel's defects and inadequate and unreasonable means of passage from one tank to the other.
Further, the defendants are accused of negligence for the failure to provide a safe and adequate means of passage/transit or for failing to warn or prevent the risk posed by directing Robinson over the pipelines.
The plaintiff is asking the court for an award of damages for physical disability, physical pain and suffering, loss of earnings and earning capacity, medical expenses, physical disfigurement, physical impairment, interest and court costs.
Robinson is represented by Brenton J. Allison of Gilman & Allison in Pearland. A jury trial is requested.
U.S. District Judge Ron Clark is assigned to the case.
Case No. 1:12-cv-00390