LAFAYETTE, La. – A Texas man claims he suffered “severe and disabling” injuries when he was thrown against a steel wall after the towing vessel he was working aboard allided with a Louisiana dock, in a federal lawsuit filed this month.
Plaintiff David Tyson of Spring, Texas, filed his lawsuit April 8 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Lafayette Division.
Tyson alleges his injuries were a result of defendant Sweetwater Marine LLC’s negligence, in addition to its captain and the “unseaworthiness” of the M/V IRON MAN.
“On or about February 20, 2026, while off watch, Plaintiff suffered physical and psychological injuries when the M/V IRON MAN allided with the Morton Salt Mine Dock on the Intracoastal Waterway in New Iberia, Louisiana,” his six-page complaint states.
According to the filing, Tyson was employed by Sweetwater and assigned to work aboard the M/V IRON MAN, a towing vessel, as its pilot.
An allision in boating refers to the act of a moving vessel striking a stationary object such as a dock, bridge, pier, or an anchored boat. It is distinct from a collision, which typically involves two moving vessels striking each other.
Tyson contends Sweetwater failed to properly equip the vessel and train its crew. He also alleges the vessel’s captain failed to maintain a proper lookout, properly monitor navigational equipment, maintain a safe course and speed while docking, and alert Tyson of the impending bump in advance of the allision.
According to the lawsuit, since the vessel allided with a stationary object, Sweetwater is presumed at fault under the Oregon Rule.
The maritime legal principle, established in 1895, shifts the burden of proof to the moving vessel to prove it was not negligent.
“Sweetwater Marine cannot meet that burden, and its negligence was a direct and proximate cause of Plaintiff’s injuries,” the lawsuit states.
Tyson claims he is undergoing medical treatment for various parts of his body including head, neck, back, and shoulder.
He seeks past and future general and special damages, compensatory damages for all injuries sustained, punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees.
Adam Davis Law Firm in Abita Springs, Louisiana, is representing Tyson in the action.
