A federal court in Louisiana awarded $1.04 million plus interest to an oil rig worker who was injured in a helicopter crash and continues to suffer from physical and mental injuries.

The lawsuit was filed by a rig operator, Nicholas Miller, who was injured in a helicopter crash in October 2013.

The helicopter was bringing Miller and 2 other men back to shore in Louisiana after a 2-week job on an oil rig owned by Energy XXI.

The pilot of the helicopter died in the crash. Both of the other passengers were injured, including one man who was paralyzed from the waist down.

Miller suffered four spinal fractures and is unable to work. After the crash, Miller experienced nightmares that caused him to wake up screaming in the night.

An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that natural gas being flared from the rig could have been involved in the engine stall.

Methane was being vented continuously on the day of the accident, according to the NTSB:

“In the past, the NTSB has determined that ingestion of methane gas while operating at offshore oil platforms has caused compressor stalls and either a partial or total loss of engine power on turbine engine-equipped helicopters.”

The lawsuit is In RE: LeBlanc v. Panther Helicopters Inc.Case Number 2:14-cv-01617 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Source: Oil Rig Worker Awarded $1M For Helicopter Crash Injuries

Posted by Elizabeth Bradley

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