Opinion ID: 1799379
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: Plaintiff, Melvin Foster was employed as a relief captain aboard the M/V Laura Ann Blessey on the date of his injury, September 5, 1991. The M/V Laura Ann Blessey had two barges in tow, WEB 205 and WEB 206 both of which were owned by Destin. The vessels were moored at the dock of the Houston Fuel Oil Terminal in Houston, Texas. Oil was being discharged from each of the barges to the terminal. The two barges had cargo compartments thirty inches above the walkway of the vessel. Each barge had a hatch cover located at the mid point and at both ends. Three boards extended across from the tank of WEB 205 to WEB 206 at points approximately even with the hatch covers. These boards provided a direct route from cargo compartment to cargo compartment and were requested by the tankermen to conveniently cross from barge to barge. The tankermen would put the boards out when the barges were breasted (side by side) at the dock and take them down when the barges were moved. The boards that were used as a walkway were three 2 × 12 × 16 pressure treated pine boards. During pumping operations, the tankermen checked the cargo compartment hatches for the level of product. The boards were laid even with the three hatches, so that the tankermen moved from cargo compartment to cargo compartment rather than down to the walkway across to the connecting barge then up to the cargo compartment. Just before the accident, two U.S. Coast Guard officers boarded one of the barges for a routine inspection, and one of Blessey's seamen was asked to produce his tankerman's certificate. Because he did not have the document on his person, the tankerman went to the Laura Ann Blessey and asked Foster to retrieve it. When he returned with the certificate, plaintiff was informed by the tankerman that he believed the Coast Guard was going to issue a citation because the hatches were open. Plaintiff was injured as he was crossing from the top of barge WEB 205 to barge WEB 206 which was the shortest route, when the wooden board connecting the barges broke, causing him to fall approximately 30 inches to the walkway below. Foster was taken to Hermann Hospital and diagnosed with an open medial dislocation of the right subtalar joint and the right talonavicular joint. The treating physician also noted torn ligaments. Surgery was performed, with screws placed in plaintiff's right ankle to assist in the healing process. He was released after a seven day hospital stay.