WesternGeco Resources Found Liable for Denying Medical Care and Living Expenses to Injured Seaman
On August 19, 2011, a Harris County jury unanimously confirmed WesternGeco Resources, Inc. as responsible for living expenses (maintenance) and medical care (cure) for an injury to the medic onboard its seismic vessel M/V GILIVAR off the shore of Equatorial Guinea in 2006. In addition to confirming that WesternGeco was responsible for maintenance and cure payments, WesternGeco was required to pay damages for unreasonable denial.
The jury rejected the claims by WesternGeco (a Houston-based subsidiary of Schlumberger) that it did not exercise any control over the operations or crewmembers onboard the vessel, the jury found in the first reported instance responsible as a “borrowing employer” for a crewmember placed and paid by a third-party contractor, Wadleigh, Inc.
Doyle represented the Plaintiff in his maritime and Jones Act claims.
