Releases

HOUSTON – The Houston trial law firm Arnold & Itkin LLP is announcing a $4.92 million verdict handed down by a Houston jury late Wednesday on behalf of an offshore oil rig worker who suffered severe injuries while working on a drilling rig off the coast of Brazil.

Attorneys Kurt Arnold, Jason Itkin and Paul Skrabanek represented Joel Upton in the jury trial heard in the 157^th State District Court in Harris County.

On March 28, 2010, Mr. Upton was working as a driller on the Ocean Yorktown, which is owned and operated by Houston-based Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. During his work on the rig, Mr. Upton was improperly hoisted more than 20 feet into the air when a cable broke. As a result of the accident, Mr. Upton suffered substantial arm injuries and lost consciousness for approximately 10 minutes.

"Offshore workers face extreme and dangerous conditions, and they must trust their crews and equipment to work properly," says Mr. Arnold. "Diamond Offshore tried to deny responsibility, and we believe the jury did the right thing by holding the company accountable."

The trial team from Arnold & Itkin LLP successfully argued that Diamond Offshore's negligent actions led to Mr. Upton's fall and injuries. The attorneys presented evidence at trial that showed how Diamond Offshore failed to properly train and supervise its crew and failed to provide proper safety equipment.

"This jury sent a message to companies that you cannot hurt people and get away with it," says Mr. Itkin. "In addition to providing for Mr. Upton's future health, our hope is that this verdict will help improve worker safety throughout Houston, the Gulf and across the world."

The jury award of $4.92 million in actual damages was handed down on Nov. 16, 2011, in Joel Upton v. Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc., No. 2010-35498.

Arnold & Itkin represents clients in high-stakes cases involving serious personal injury claims, maritime accidents, medical and pharmaceutical injuries, products liability and business disputes. To learn more, visit the firm's website at http://www.lawyerforyou.com/.

For more information on the verdict, please contact Alan Bentrup at 800-559-4534 or alan@androvett.com.