Case at a glance
- Recovery: Confidential Settlement
- Practice: Maritime injury lawyers, Jones Act claims, Offshore oil rig and vessel injuries
- Representation: Brian Beckcom and VB Attorneys.
A request for replacement shoes
Devin worked as a roustabout aboard a Rowan vessel. The soles of his work shoes had worn down until they no longer provided traction. He reported the problem to his supervisor.
The request moved up the chain of command. Devin then learned that the vessel did not have replacement shoes in his size. Supervisors directed him to continue his usual work until another pair arrived.
The company did not move him to light duty. Devin continued handling the equipment and lines that formed part of his offshore work.
The injury and the evacuation
While hooking equipment to a crane, Devin stepped on a tag line. Without traction from his shoes, his foot slid awkwardly and he injured his knee.
The vessel also lacked a stretcher that could accommodate him. Crew members moved him on a dolly until a helicopter could take him ashore for treatment. The transport added another difficulty at a time when he already faced severe pain.
Devin underwent multiple knee operations. His treatment ultimately included a total knee replacement. The injury disrupted his work and his family’s life.
The warning came before the injury
Devin’s account identified a safety problem he had reported before the crane operation. He had asked for footwear that would let him perform his work safely; the response left him carrying out the same duties in the same worn shoes.
Brian used Rowan’s own safety expectations to challenge the company’s decisions. In his settlement demand, he cited testimony from Rowan’s corporate representative, who agreed that the boots did not meet Rowan’s expectations and that a worker should not proceed without appropriate protective equipment.
The representative also agreed that a supervisor should stop the work when proper footwear was unavailable. Brian used that testimony to address Rowan’s argument that Devin bore responsibility under the company’s stop-work rules.
The parties reached a confidential settlement in 2022. The resolution followed surgeries that included replacing Devin’s knee and a period of substantial disruption for his family.
Questions about the case
Related legal help
An injury at sea can affect your work, your treatment and your family. Talk with Brian Beckcom and VB Attorneys about what happened. Call 877-724-7800 for a free consultation.
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