FORT LAUDERDALE – A Florida ship worker has filed a complaint against his former employer for negligence after being hurt on the job, according to court documents filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Division.
Plaintiff Allen Stroman took legal action against Lomar Shipping Limited, King Ocean Services Limited Incorporated, and One 481’ (Defendants), and M/V Boston Trader.
Stroman claims defendants acted with negligence, unseaworthiness, negligence in regard to breach of duty and negligence concerning duty to intervene.
Stroman, who was employed by Lomar Shipping Limited, was driving a pickup at work to pull a large boat into a new slip when the truck was pulled onto its side by the ship. He was rushed to the hospital for treatment. King Ocean Services (owned by Lomar Shipping) employees were involved in the incident.
Plaintiff said on May 12, 2016 he was on the pier of Port Everglades in Broward County to help with shifting the M/V Boston trader from one spot to the other. He drove the pickup truck that was later involved in the accident, to help transport the larger vessels.
Before this, two line handlers removed the mooring lines from the initial slip and attached it to the back of the pickup in preparation for the transport. Stroman’s responsibility was to drive roughly 50 feet where different handlers would take off the mooring lines.
Things went wrong before Stroman was able to drive the pickup truck as the employees under the management of King Ocean Services and under ownership of Lomar Shipping “engaged the shipboard winch and began retracting the mooring line attached the pick-up truck.” The vessel subsequently dragged the pick-up truck through the pier with Stroman still inside.
He stated in the lawsuit he tried to get out of the vehicle as quickly as possible, but the truck was turned upside down with him inside.
Stroman filed the lawsuit stating the parties of the defendant vessel, M/V Boston Trader were negligent.