Maritime Case

Plaintiff was working on board a United Stated Navy Ship as an independent contractor installing electrical cable. While he was working, the crewmembers were loading a single 55 gallon drum of protein foam fire retardant weighing approximately 300 pounds on a pallet.

While the crew attempted to move the pallet and unsecured barrel from one shipboard location to another via a crane and winch, the drum fell from the pallet and struck the Plaintiff’s right leg as he began to ascend a ladder resulting in severe leg injuries. The injuries required five surgeries including irrigation and debridement and intramedullary fixation of the right tibia, repeat irrigation and debridement with application of a wound VAC, removal of the intramedullary rod and reaming/irrigation of intramedullary canal and placement as well as eventual removal of antibiotic beads. Plaintiff received a settlement prior to trial of $1,330,000.