Ingram Barge and Alter Barge named in FELA suit

Jason Brown of Rock Island filed a Jones Act suit against Ingram Barge Company and Alter Barge Line claiming the defendants failed to provide him a safe place to work.

According to the complaint filed Nov. 16 in St. Clair County Circuit Court, Brown is employed by Alter as a lead deckhand and a member of the crew of the MARC which was operated by Alter while afloat on the Mississippi River.

He claims that on June 28, 2005, Alter assigned him to work on an Ingram barge which was part of a tow being pushed by Ingram towboat M/V Herman Potts.

Brown claims he injured his low back and extremities after Alter ordered him to jerk slack out of a wire while building a tow.

According to Brown, the MARC, M/V Herman Potts and Ingram barge ING5637 were all located at the Maxwell Fleet which is located on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River at mile 470.6-470.9

Brown claims Alter failed to provide him with adequate assistance in the performance of his duties, failed to warn him of the dangers in the area he was assigned to work, failed to supervise his work, failed to provide adequate equipment and failed to provide adequate lighting.

He claims Ingram failed to properly maintain its barge by installing winches to be used to pull slack out of wires or cables, failed to provide adequate lighting, failed to inspect its vessel and failed to provide adequate personnel and equipment to assist him in tightening or attaching wires or cables.

Brown claims he has lost money from wages, suffered a loss in earning capacity, experienced pain and suffering, medical expenses and sustained a permanent disfigurement.

Represented by Christopher Dysart of St. Louis, Brown is seeking damages in excess of $100,000, plus costs.

He also is seeking a judgment of $40 per day for maintenance and cure.

06 L 685 (20th Circuit)