Deepwater Horizon Survivor Chris Choy: 'I Can't Go Back Onto a Rig'

OIL SPILL -- April 21, 2011 at 1:02 PM EDT

Deepwater Horizon Survivor Chris Choy: 'I Can't Go Back Onto a Rig'

With this week marking the first anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and start of the Gulf oil spill, we checked back with Christopher Choy, a roustabout who survived the blast on the rig, to see how he is faring a year later.

The NewsHour and NPR interviewed Choy last May. He, his wife Monica and attorney Steve Gordon spoke with Hari Sreenivasan on Monday from Houston.

Last year, Choy said he was having nightmares and suffered mental anguish from the experience. Since then, "things seem to be improving slowly," Choy said this week. "But I can tell that my attitude is different than it used to be."

Monica is now the breadwinner in the family. Choy said the trauma has left him unable to return to working on an offshore rig. Gordon said that's because Choy has post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.

Gordon said he's seeking "a reasonable amount" in damages for Choy for loss of earnings, medical expenses and pain and suffering.

The NewsHour contacted BP, Transocean, Cameron and Halliburton for comment about Gordon's comments in this interview. Transocean and Cameron declined to comment. BP and Halliburton did not respond.

Watch last year's interview with the Choys:

NewsHour interview filmed by and video edited by Justin Scuiletti. Houston interview filmed by Jeff Horton

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