HOUSTON — A Gregg County crane operator is suing a Houston offshore drilling business, alleging he was fired unlawfully.
Joe Bailey filed a lawsuit April 1 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas against Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc., alleging disability discrimination, failure to uphold Americans with Disabilities Act regulations and wrongful termination.
According to the complaint, between January 2000 and June 23, 2015, Bailey worked for Diamond Offshore Drilling before he was wrongfully terminated even though he had a clearance from his personal physician. The suit says Bailey also had his health insurance cut off.
The plaintiff alleges the defendant disregarded the opinion of Bailey's personal physician and sided with the decision by its company doctor that Bailey wasn't fit to go back to work.
Bailey seeks a trial by jury, back pay, monetary relief plus interest, reinstatement, compensatory damages to be determined in trial, an order enjoining the defendant from any further discrimination against plaintiff, damages for mental distress, all legal fees and any other relief the court deems just. He is represented by attorney William S. Hommel, Jr. of Hommel Law Firm in Tyler.
Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas Case number 4:16-cv-00883