Luke Myrick filed a Jones Act lawsuit Jan. 24 in Madison County Circuit Court alleging he was injured while working for Teco Barge Line of Metropolis.
Myrick alleges that while working aboard the "Anne Peters," which was afloat on the Ohio River near Mt. Vernon, Ind. on or around Dec. 30, 2003, he was severely injured.
According to the complaint, Teco failed to provide Myrick with a reasonably safe place to work, did not provide him with a safe work area, allowed equipment and pertinences to remain in disrepair, and made poor decisions about how work was supposed to be performed.
As a result, Myrich claims he sustained injuries to his head, body, trunk and limbs--internally and externally--suffered a loss of earning capacity, suffered pain and suffering, lost wages, spent large sums of money in an attempt to cure injuries and became disabled and disfigured.
Myrich, represented by Lon D. Weaver of East Alton, is seeking to collect in excess of $100,000 and costs of the suit.
Teco Barge Line ranks among the leading river barge companies serving the Mississippi, Illinois and Ohio rivers for domestic and export markets.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Daniel Stack.