Maritime Injury Law Blog : Maritime Injury Lawyer & Attorney : Vujasinovic & Beckcom : Jones Act : Serving Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi

Did you know that Congress passed a specific law to prevent maritime workers from getting fired, demoted, or disciplined for reporting safety violations or concerns?

That's right.  A seaman who reports in good faith or is about to report to the Coast Guard a violation of a safety rule or regulation is cannot be fired for report such violations. 

Maritime workers who are fired or retaliated against after reporting a safety violation can sue their employer for money damages.

Because maritime work is dangerous, the United States Congress has decided to encourage workers to monitor worksite safety.  And protect workers who do just that.

Maritime Work is Dangerous

Our maritime lawyers realize that maritime work can be dangerous when companies cut corners on safety.  That's why we've dedicated our time to putting out free information for workers

Read These Articles Before You Hire An Attorney, Give a Recorded Statement, or Sign Any Forms

Do you want to get helpful information that is written for injured workers and their families, and not the company or insurance carrier?  In addition to our websites, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?

3.  What is the Jones Act?

4.  How to wreck your Jones Act case

5.  Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury

6.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

7.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

8.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

9.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

10.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

11.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

13.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

14.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.texasinjuryaccidentlawyer.com

 

About our law firm

 

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases.  If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

 

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Press Release - For Immediate Release

Houston, Texas - May 2009

Injured offshore worker files Jones Act case against Wild Well Control, Superior Energy Services, and UKPS following assault on vessel

Our firm has filed a Jones Act case on behalf of an injured offshore worker who was assaulted while working offshore. 

The case is against Wild Well Control, Inc., Superior Energy Services, LLC, and UKPS, all companies that operate offshore.  The case was filed in Houston, Texas and is assigned to the 164th Judicial District Court.

We filed the case under the Jones Act and general maritime law.

Brian Beckcom, maritime lawyer, will be taking the lead in investigating the case.  All media questions or questions from other sources about this case should be directed to Mr. Beckcom.

 

Read These Articles Before You Hire An Attorney, Give a Recorded Statement, or Sign Any Forms

 

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?

3.  What is the Jones Act?

4.  How to wreck your Jones Act case

5.  Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury

6.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

7.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

8.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

9.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

10.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

11.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

13.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

14.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

 

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.texasinjuryaccidentlawyer.com

 

About our law firm

 

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases.  If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

 

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

An injured dredge worker has hired our law firm to pursue his legal claims against Megafleet Towing Company.

Our client is a Jones Act seaman.  That means he needed a Jones Act lawyer to assert his rights under the Jones Act and general maritime law.

Our client was injured on-the-job.  The company fired him a short time later, telling him that they "did not have a position for him any more."

We are pursuing claims under the Jones Act, General Maritime law, and maintenance and cure.

The case is being handled by maritime lawyer Brian Beckcom and Curtis Bickers at our law firm.

Maritime Work is Dangerous

Our maritime lawyers realize that maritime work can be dangerous when companies cut corners on safety.  That's why we've dedicated our time to putting out free information for workers

Read These Articles Before You Hire An Attorney, Give a Recorded Statement, or Sign Any Forms

Do you want to get helpful information that is written for injured workers and their families, and not the company or insurance carrier?  In addition to our websites, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?
3.  What is the Jones Act?

4.  How to wreck your Jones Act case

5.  Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury
6.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?
7.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act
8.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.
9.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore
10.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time
11.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?
13.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.
14.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea
15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

 

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.texasinjuryaccidentlawyer.com

 

About our law firm

 

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases.  If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

 

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

We represent a lot of workers and families in Jones Act and maritime injury and accident cases.  Unfortunately, some of those workers come to us when it is too late to help them get the best possible recovery.

Why?  All too often, it is because the worker or his family hired an attorney who doesn't know how to properly and swiftly handle a Jones Act or maritime injury case.  Sometimes, I see cases where the injured worker hired and attorney who didn't return calls, didn't do anything on the case, and got the case in a position where it is very difficult to obtain the best possible settlement.

Jones Act and maritime injury cases are specialized types of cases.  Most attorneys do not handle a single such case in their entire career.

The bottom line is that you want to hire an attorney who has experience handling Jones Act and Maritime injury and accident cases.

Here is a list of 7 questions you should ask any attorney you are considering hiring for your Jones Act or maritime injury case:

1.  How many Jones Act or maritime injury cases have you personally handled in your legal career?

2.  How many cases have you won?  How many have you lost?

3.  Are you board-certified in any legal speciality?  If so, what speciality?

4.  How long does it typically take you to get your clients a settlement?  How long do you think my case will take to settle?

5.  Have you ever published any books or articles on the Jones Act or maritime law?

6.  What is the settlement value of my case?

7.  Will a partner handle my case or will you give it to an associate?

You should get good, honest, straightforward answers to these questions before you hire someone to represent you in your case. 

Good luck.

Jones Act or Maritime accident or injury case?

The maritime accident and injury lawyers at our law firm are dedicated to providing seaman worldwide with the best possible representation.  Our goal is go obtain the best possible settlement in the shortest amount of time.

If you have a maritime accident or injury case, before you talk to the company or any insurance adjusters, before you give a recorded statement, and before you choose the wrong attorney for your case, request a copy of Mr. Beckcom's book and read the list of articles below.

If you are really and truly interested in learning about what goes on "behind the scenes" in a Jones Act or maritime injury case, read Mr. Beckcom's book "Insider's Guide to winning your Maritime Injury Case"

List of helpful articles

Do you want to get helpful information that is written for injured workers and their families, and not the company or insurance carrier?  In addition to our websites, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?

3.  What is the Jones Act?

4.  How to wreck your Jones Act case

5.  Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury

6.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

7.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

8.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

9.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

10.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

11.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

13.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

14.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.texasinjuryaccidentlawyer.com

About our law firm

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases.  If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

The Injured Seaman's Right to Maintenance and Cure

If you are a seaman and are injured in the course of your employment, you have certain rights under federal law and the Jones Act.  

One of the most important rights is the right to "maintenance and cure."  When an accident occurs while the seaman is engaged in duty aboard the vessel, he is entitled to medical benefits (called "cure") and living expenses (called "maintenance").

Medical Benefits

Medical benefits include: hospitialization, medication, access to medical equipment, payment for physical therapy, a doctor who is conveniently located near you (if possible, access to specialists if your injury requires a specialist, any other necessary and reasonable medical care.

Your employer is required to make these payments if you are hurt in the course of your employment.  Period.

Daily living expenses

An injured worker is also entitled to payments for daily living expenses such as the following:

Food and grocery bills, utility bills, other reasonable living expenses;

Jones Act employers don't always follow the law

 

Unfortunately, in many cases, the seaman's employer will refuse to follow the law.  For example, we currently represent a number of seaman who are badly injured and cannot work.  Nevertheless, their employers refuse to provide for their medical care and treatment.  One of our main goals in these cases is to get the employer to pay what they owe to our clients.

Negotiating for these benefits without a skilled and knowledgeable maritime lawyer can be difficult.  The employee may not know the employer's responsibility under the law or the Jones Act employer may try to trick the seaman out of his or her benefits.

This is one area where an experienced maritime lawyer can help.  An experienced maritime lawyer can ensure that the Jones Act employer does not unfairly trick the seaman out of benefits that are due under the law.

Maritime injury case?

The maritime accident and injury lawyers at our law firm are dedicated to providing seaman worldwide with the best possible representation.  Our goal is go obtain the best possible settlement in the shortest amount of time.

If you have a maritime accident or injury case, before you talk to the company or any insurance adjusters, before you give a recorded statement, and before you choose the wrong attorney for your case, request a copy of Mr. Beckcom's book and read this list of helpful articles.

Interested in learning more about really happens in a maritime injury case?

Click here to request a copy of the "Insider's Guide to Winning Your Maritime Injury Case"

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?

3.  What is the Jones Act?

4.  How to wreck your Jones Act case

5.  Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury

6.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

7.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

8.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

9.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

10.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

11.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

13.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

14.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

About our law firm

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases.  If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

According to news reports, a 37 year old deckhand working aboard a vessel owned by Schlumberger has obtained a 6 million dollar verdict, plus court costs, after he was burned over 45% of his body.

A tank containing zinc bromide mixed with sand overheated, causing a plumbing failure.  This resulted in the worker being drenched with hot zinc bromide and being severely burned.

He was burned over 45% of his body, including his eyes.  The worker suffers from high blood pressure, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The worker filed a lawsuit against the vessel and her owner under the Jones Act and general maritime law.

After a bench trial, the judge awarded the worker $5.64 million dollars.  With interest, the award came to $6 million dollars.

Injured on a vessel or oil rig?

Our attorneys often represent workers who are injured on vessels or oil rigs or in similar circumstances.  If you would like to find out about these types of accidents, insurance claims, etc. visit our law firm website and go to the Jones Act and maritime injury section.

Or call our office toll free, 877.724.7800 for a free and confidential evaluation of your case with Mr. Beckcom.

 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

A common scenario in my office is for a client to walk to our first meeting, having been injured in some sort of offshore accident, and ask me to explain the "Jones Act".  Or they ask me whether they have a "Jones Act" case. 

Or the client asks me about the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act.

All of these questions are answered in my book, Insider's Guide to Winning Your Maritime Injury Case."  The book sells for $29.99 but I give it free to my firm's clients and prospective clents because I want them to have the information the book contains.

Here's a very brief discussion about the Jones Act and the Longshore Act:

The Jones Act

The Jones Act applies only to "seaman."  To qualify as a "seaman," you must contribute the function of the vessel and be a member of her crew.  You can read a short article about seaman status by clicking here.

The definition of "seaman" and "vessel" is a lot broader than most people probably realize.  I've represented welders on jack-up drilling rigs, cooks on offshore platforms, roughnecks and roustabouts on semi-submersibles, drillers on oil rigs in the North Sea, boat captains, deckhands, and countless other workers.

In order to determine (in most cases) if you are a Jones Act seaman, you need an attorney with a lot of experience in Jones Act cases.  Most lawyers will never handle a Jones Act case during their entire career. 

The Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

The Longshore Act covers "Longshoreman" and "Harbor Workers."  In other words, workers who aren't seaman but may be worker near the water.

The classic example of the Longshoreman is a dockworker who loads and unloads ships.  While they may work on the ship at times, and over the water, dockworkers aren't Jones Act seaman and can't bring Jones Act cases.

Conclusion

In most situations, you are better off from a purely legal standpoint if you can qualify as a Jones Act seaman.  However, most attorneys know absolutely nothing about how to ensure that you qualify as such, so make sure you find an attorney who knows how to handle these cases or you may literally be giving up a claim worth tens, hundreds, or even millions of dollars,

Injured Offshore? Helpful resources and articles

Do you have a Jones Act or maritime injury case?  The Jones Act and Maritime Attorneys at Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. have successfully handled all types of maritime injury and Jones Act cases.

Before you talk to the company or any insurance adjusters, before you give a recorded statement, and before you choose the wrong attorney for your case, request a copy of Mr. Beckcom's book and read this list of helpful articles.

Interested in learning more about really happens in a maritime injury case?

Click here to request a copy of the "Insider's Guide to Winning Your Maritime Injury Case"

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?

3.  What is the Jones Act?

4.  How to wreck your Jones Act case

5.  Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury

6.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

7.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

8.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

9.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

10.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

11.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

13.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

14.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

About our law firm

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases.  If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

We are pleased to announce yet another terrific settlement for one of our Jones Act clients.

Our client was a long-time employee of Blake Offshore.  He was hurt when he fell in an open hole that was not properly marked off with caution tape (or any other kind of warning device).  He was severely injured.

In fact, our client was knocked unconscious for almost 5 minutes.  He ended up having the following injuries:

1.  Injuries to his head;

 

2.  Ringing in his ears, memory loss, blackouts;

3.  A neck injury;

4.  Herniated discs in his cervical spine;

5.  A shoulder injury (he tore his rotator cuff);

The company fired our client when the company doctor (who was completely and totally in the tank for Blake Offshore) literally said our client could return to work the same day he was injured!

Our client tried to do light duty work for Blake Offshore but Blake Offshore cancelled the light duty program after our client asked if he could try light duty! 

We filed a lawsuit under the Jones Act and maritime law.  Blake denied liability (they denied they were at fault).  They also denied our client was injured in the accident.

And they hired spies (private investigators) to spy on our client, his wife, his 2 year old boy, and his mother! 

A few weeks before trial, after we spent many thousands of dollars on the case, Blake Offshore agreed to pay our client a substantial settlement that will provide for him and his family for a long time to come.

Congratulations to our client and his family for his great settlement and for hanging in there during the case despite Blake Offshore's attempts to intimidate and scare him.

Injured Offshore? Helpful resources and articles

Do you have a Jones Act or maritime injury case?  The Jones Act and Maritime Attorneys at Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. have successfully handled all types of maritime injury and Jones Act cases.

Before you talk to the company or any insurance adjusters, before you give a recorded statement, and before you choose the wrong attorney for your case, request a copy of Mr. Beckcom's book and read this list of helpful articles.

Interested in learning more about really happens in a maritime injury case?

Click here to request a copy of the "Insider's Guide to Winning Your Maritime Injury Case"

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?

3.  What is the Jones Act?

4.  How to wreck your Jones Act case

5.  Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury

6.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

7.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

8.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

9.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

10.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

11.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

13.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

14.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

About our law firm

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases.  If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

We are pleased to announce that one of our clients, a deckhand for an offshore tug and construction company, has settled his case against the company for a substantial amount of money.

Our client was working as a deckhand on a pushboat.  He was injured when a hand rail on the push knee of the boat broke as he was using the hand rail to disembark from the boat.  When the hand rail broke, our client fell some 5 feet to the deck, severely injuring his back.

After several months of medical treatment including physical therapy and pain medication, our client was not better.  His board-certified orthopedic surgeon recommend a back fusion surgery.

The company refused to pay for or approve the surgery.  We filed a Jones Act lawsuit on our client's behalf.

After we developed the evidence in the case and finished our investigation, the company agreed to pay a substantial confidential settlement and also agreed to pay for the necessary surgery.

The settlement was substantial enough that the company insisted that it be confidential.

Congratulations to our client.

*******************************************************************************

Injured Offshore? Helpful resources and articles

Do you have a Jones Act or maritime injury case?  The Jones Act and Maritime Attorneys at Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. have successfully handled all types of maritime injury and Jones Act cases.

Before you talk to the company or any insurance adjusters, before you give a recorded statement, and before you choose the wrong attorney for your case, request a copy of Mr. Beckcom's book and read this list of helpful articles.

Interested in learning more about really happens in a maritime injury case?

Click here to request a copy of the "Insider's Guide to Winning Your Maritime Injury Case"

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?

3.  What is the Jones Act?

4.  How to wreck your Jones Act case

5.  Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury

6.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

7.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

8.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

9.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

10.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

11.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

13.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

14.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

About our law firm

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases.  If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

We are pleased to announce another settlement for one of our maritime clients.

Our client, a 55 year old cook, was employed by a company called Art Catering.  Art Catering contracts with offshore oil and gas companies, and operators, to provide catering and janitorial services.

Our client was injured when she slipped and fell on grease that had accumulated in the galley (kitchen) of an offshore jack-up rig owned and operated by Transocean, the largest offshore oil and gas drilling contractor.

Our client injured her head, back, and neck.  She needed surgery and was unable to work.  Art Catering and Transocean refused to help her.  We filed a case on her behalf under the Jones Act.

One month before the case was scheduled to go to Court, the companies offered to pay our client a substantial settlement. 

The settlement will allow her to get the surgery she needs, will replace her lost wages, and provides compensation for her pain and suffering and mental anguish.

*******************************************************************************

Injured Offshore? Helpful resources and articles

Do you have a Jones Act or maritime injury case?  The Jones Act and Maritime Attorneys at Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. have successfully handled all types of maritime injury and Jones Act cases.

Before you talk to the company or any insurance adjusters, before you give a recorded statement, and before you choose the wrong attorney for your case, request a copy of Mr. Beckcom's book and read this list of helpful articles.

Interested in learning more about really happens in a maritime injury case?

Click here to request a copy of the "Insider's Guide to Winning Your Maritime Injury Case"

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?

3.  What is the Jones Act?

4.  How to wreck your Jones Act case

5.  Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury

6.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

7.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

8.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

9.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

10.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

11.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

13.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

14.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

About our law firm

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases.  If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Question:  I worked on a barge as a tankerman (or other type of barge worker) and got injured.  What law covers my injuries and what type of money damages can I expect?

Answer:  Thank you for your question.

There are two parts to the answer to this question.  The first is what law covers your case, and the second is what damages (i.e., money) can you expect to recover for injuries that happened on a barge.

If you are a tankerman, you are most likely covered by the Jones Act.  If you are a captain or member of the crew of the vessel, you are most likely covered by the Jones Act.

However, if you were working on the barge only temporarily, things get more complicated.  If, for example, you were simply doing contracted maintenance work, you may NOT be covered by the Jones Act.  This does not mean you don't have any legal remedy.  It just means your case is more complicated, and you really should talk to an experienced Jones Act attorney.

With respect to damages under the Jones Act, you are entitled to maintenance and cure if you were hurt during your employment. 

If you can prove some negligence on the part of the shipowner or operator, or your fellow employees, or that the vessel was "unseaworthy," you may also be entitled to the following money damages:

1.  Lost wages, both past and future;

2.  Pain and suffering, past and future;

3.  Impairment, past and future;

4.  Mental anguish, past and future;

5.  Disfigurement, past and future;

6.  Loss of enjoyment of life, past and future.

However, to recover these types of damages in a Jones Act case requires an attorney who knows what he or she is doing. 

Read the articles below to learn more about maritime injury cases and request a free copy of Mr. Beckcom's book if you want a more in-depth discussion of what really happens in these cases.

Injured Offshore? Helpful resources and articles

Do you have a Jones Act or maritime injury case?  The Jones Act and Maritime Attorneys at Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. have successfully handled all types of maritime injury and Jones Act cases.

Before you talk to the company or any insurance adjusters, before you give a recorded statement, and before you choose the wrong attorney for your case, request a copy of Mr. Beckcom's book and read this list of helpful articles.

Interested in learning more about really happens in a maritime injury case?

Click here to request a copy of the "Insider's Guide to Winning Your Maritime Injury Case"

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?

3.  What is the Jones Act?

4.  How to wreck your Jones Act case

5.  Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury

6.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

7.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

8.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

9.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

10.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

11.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

13.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

14.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

About our law firm

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases.  If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

One of the interesting things about representing hundreds of offshore workers, Jones Act seamen, and maritime workers is that you get a unique perspective on how to most efficiently and effectively represent these workers.

You also learn the tricks and traps that insurance companies and the offshore companies will use to try to wreck the case.

I have seen injured offshore workers make a lot of really simply mistakes before they call me which can really hurt their case.

In fact, what happens in some cases is that the injured offshore worker will have already hired an attorney, and a mistake or complication will arise in the case, and then I will get a phone call from the injured worker's attorney.

By then, it may be too late to do anything.  Or it may be a matter of damage control.  Or it may be a problem that can be fixed.

But the number one mistake I see when representing and advising injured offshore workers, Jones Act seamen, and maritime workers is hiring the wrong attorney for their case.

Maritime law is complicated.  Most attorneys (probably 99% or more) have never handled and will never handle a maritime injury, Jones Act, or offshore injury case. 

What will happen is the injured worker will call some attorney who did their will or got them out of a traffic ticket or who was recommended by their uncle.  That attorney may have never handled a Jones Act case.  The attorney may not know the difference between maintenance and cure. 

But the injured worker will hire that attorney anyway. 

Taking advice from such an attorney can be a very bad idea, and in fact, can wreck your case (or reduce the amount of money you get).

The Internet makes it possible to do a lot of research on attorneys.  You can find a lot of basic background information about attorneys.  (But keep in mind, attorneys can say they handle Jones Act or maritime injury cases when they don't.)

Then, you should make list of who to call and get in contact with at least 3-4 different attorneys, and ask them probing questions to figure out whether they know what they are doing.

For more information about the process, if you are an injured offshore worker or family member, you can get a free copy of "The Insider's Guide to Winning Maritime Injury Claims." 

Want to know more about maritime injury cases? 

We strive to provide the best, most professional, and most effective representation to workers in the offshore industry.  We are based in Houston, Texas.  We represent offshore workers all over the world.

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  What is the Jones Act?

3.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

4.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

5.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

6.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

7.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

8.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

9.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

10.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

11.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

12. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

According to published reports, Pelican Offshore Services and Navigazione Montanari S.p.A. of Italy have settled a Jones Act lawsuit brought by an injured mooring master.  The settlement is reported as being $1,975,000. 

The reports indicate that the injured mooring master was hurt off the coast of Corpus Christi while on board the M/V VALTAMED.  He was participating in offloading operations while the vessel was lightering.

The injury occurred when the operator of the crane hoisted up and back on the crane's hook while it was still attached to the side rail.  The rail broke and a metal bar flew across the deck and hit the mooring master.

The mooring master suffered a closed head injury, double vision, eye fractures, headaches, and other associated injuries.

The defendants denied all the allegations.

The ship was owned by Navigazione Montanari S.p.A. of Italy and the crane operator was employed by that company.

The crane operator had not been certified or trained to operate cranes.

The case was styled Bryan D. Wise v. Pelican Offshore Services and was pending in Jefferson County, Texas, Judge Milton Shuffield presiding.

Want to know more about maritime injury cases? 

We strive to provide the best, most professional, and most effective representation to workers in the offshore industry.  We are based in Houston, Texas.  We represent offshore workers all over the world.

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  What is the Jones Act?

3.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

4.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

5.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

6.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

7.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

8.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

9.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

10.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

11.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

12. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

When we accept a maritime injury case, our number one goal is to win your case.  However, the insurance companies have various tricks and techniques they will use to try to keep you from winning your case.  Financial pressure and wrongful termination are two techniques they may use against you if you are hurt offshore.

When a worker is injured offshore, two of the main problems they experience are financial problems (inability to pay bills) and the fear of getting fired (wrongful termination).

Workers offshore who are injured at work are the primary breadwinner for themselves and their families.

Following a career-ending or career-threatening injury, or even an injury that will take some time to recover from, injured workers and Jones Act seaman are often very concerned about their financial security and ability to pay bills.

Maintenance and cure is not enough

Jones Act seaman should be entitled to "maintenance and cure."  The law requires it.  Yet often, Jones Act defendants will refuse to pay maintenance and cure, thinking that by putting financial pressure on the injured seaman, they will be able to settle the case cheaply and get rid of the injured worker before he or she has a chance to assert their legal rights.

Maintenance and cure is a minimal payment

Another problem with maintenance and cure is that maintenance in most cases has been stuck at a miserly rate of $15 - $30 dollars a day, hardly enough to survive on alone, let alone if you have a family to support.

Wrongful termination

Another major concern injured Jones Act seaman and injured offshore workers often express is the fear of getting fired after an injury.  This article will explain the circumstances when that may happen and also some things you can do about it.

Protecting your finances and your job

Is there anything you can do to while you are recovering from you injuries to avoid financial ruin?  Is there anything you can do to avoid getting fired?

Fortunately, the answer to the first question is YES.

The answer to the second question, unfortunately, is, PROBABLY.

Taking care of your financial needs during the lawsuit process

At our law firm, we understand the financial devastation that may result from an offshore injury.  Therefore, unlike most law firms, we can arrange for loans and advances to qualifying clients.

These loans will allow you to make ends meet while we are working your case.  We will not lend you money to buy a new vehicle or upgrade your lifestyle.    Instead, the objective is simply to help you with food, clothing, and other necessities and to avoid your feeling pressure to settle your case cheaply as a result of wrongful financial pressure put on you by the company.
Continue Reading...

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Our law firm has been hired by an injured deckhand to prosecute his Jones Act claims against Waterman Steamship. 

According to its website, Waterman is a "deep sea ocean carrier" operating U.S. flag vessels in liner service and time charter between the USA and Middle East ports. 

Our client was injured severely while working for the company.   In his lawsuit, he seeks damages for medical bills, lost past and future wages, pain and suffering disfigurement, and mental anguish.

The case is pending in Madisonville, Texas, where our client lived when he was hurt.  He was hurt on the Stephen Pless, a vessel docked in Saipan.

Want to know more about maritime injury cases? 

We strive to provide the best, most professional, and most effective representation to workers in the offshore industry.  We are based in Houston, Texas.  We represent offshore workers all over the world.

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  What is the Jones Act?

3.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

4.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

5.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

6.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

7.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

8.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

9.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

10.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

11.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

12. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

I was injured on an offshore oil platform.  What are my legal rights?

We see these kind of cases frequently.  Unfortunately, there is no quick and easy answer to your question.

An offshore platform differs from an offshore rig because most of the time, the rig can be moved from place to place while the platform is fixed permanently to the ocean floor.

This distinction can make a big difference in your legal rights. 

If you are hurt while working on a movable oil rig, you may have rights under the Jones Act, a federal law that can be favorable to injured workers.

On the other hand, if you are hurt on an offshore platform, things get complicated quickly.  You may be a Longshoreman, entitled only to benefits under the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act.

Or you may have legal claims against third parties if they caused your injury under "General Maritime Law." 

Oil platform injuries can be very complicated from a legal standpoint.  If you are hurt on an offshore oil platform, you should strongly consider seeking independent legal advice from an attorney who specializes in these kinds of cases.


Want to know more about maritime injury cases? 

We strive to provide the best, most professional, and most effective representation to workers in the offshore industry. 

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  What is the Jones Act?

3.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

4.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

5.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

6.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

7.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

8.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

9.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

10.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

11.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

12. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Thank you for your question:

Many workers are exposed to hazardous chemicals or other substances like benzene, asbestos, chlorine, cleaning solvents, etc. as part of their maritime work on vessels, ships, jack-up rigs, oil rigs, and other maritime equipment.

For instance, recently, a worker who was exposed to benzene over the course of his 20 years as a seaman developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma.  The seaman claims that 18 of his former employers were negligent and has sued them under the Jones Act for his damages.

One of the defendants includes Kirby Inland Marine, a defendant our law firm has sued before on behalf of injured seamen.

So, what are your legal rights if you are exposed to benzene, asbestos, or other toxic substances and chemicals offshore?

If you are a Jones Act "seaman," then you can file your case under the Jones Act (see our other articles on the Jones Act on this website.)

If you are not a Jones Act "seaman," then it gets more complicated.

You may have rights under the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act.

Under some circumstances you may also have rights to bring a products liability lawsuit claim against the manufacturer of the toxic substance you were exposed to.

Or, your case may fall under the General Maritime Law or the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA).

The bottom line is if you were exposed to benzene, asbestos, or some other toxic chemical or substance while involved in maritime work, you probably have legal rights.  However, those rights can be taken away if you do not act quickly to enforce them.

Want to know more about maritime injury cases? 

We strive to provide the best, most professional, and most effective representation to workers in the offshore industry. 

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  What is the Jones Act?

3.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

4.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

5.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

6.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

7.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

8.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

9.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

10.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

11.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

12. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Last year, a Houston federal jury returned a $1.2 million dollar verdict in favor of one of our firm's clients against his Jones Act employer, Penn Maritime. 

Penn Maritime appealed to the Fifth Circuit.

The case was argued on Monday, June 2, 2008 in New Orleans.  On Thursday, June 5, 2008, in a per curiam opinion, the Court upheld every part of the jury's verdict in favor of our firm's client, while reforming the interest calculation.

Congratulations to Arnold & Itkin, our co-counsel, along with appellate counsel at Beck, Redden & Secrest.

Want to know more about offshore injury claims? 

Below are some links to some suggested articles offering helpful tips and advice regarding offshore injury claims.

Click here to read an article with helpful suggestions and tips on how to hire the best lawyer for your offshore injury case.

Curious about the Jones Act?  Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

Want to know more about the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read the article "What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

Want to know the difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read about the difference between the two.

What to know the truth about offshore injury cases?  Click here to read The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

Want to know what you should do after an offshore injury to preserve your legal rights?  Click here to read  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

If you are hurt and your employer is giving you a hard time, click here to read "I was injured on the job and my employer is giving me a hard time - What should I do"

Employer trying to get you to give a recorded statement?  Click here to learn the truth about recorded statements and the best way to handle this request.

Thinking about trying to settle your offshore injury case without talking to a lawyer first?  Click here to learn why you can settle some cases yourself but in other cases not having a lawyer may be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Want to know what happens when you file an offshore injury or Jones Act case?  Click here to learn about Filing a Jones Act lawsuit.

Click here to learn about 6 Critical Things you must know if you are Injured At Sea

Your employer may be keeping secrets from you if you are hurt offshore.  Click here to read about The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Our law firm was hired by a Halliburton Energy Services employee to represent him after he suffered a serious back injury while working offshore.

The worker was a mechanic / welder.  He and three other Halliburton workers were working on a jack-up rig owned by Rowan Companies.

They were doing welding work and had called a specialist welding company called Cajun Cutters in to assist.  The welder Cajun Cutters sent to assist did not do his job properly, and as a result, our client suffered a severe back injury.

Our client incurred more than $150,000.00 in medical bills and lost wages. 

We were able to obtain a settlement for him valued at more than $500,000.00 in net recovery to him (complete waiver of the lien and more than $350,000.00 in his pocket.

Want to know more about offshore injury claims? 

Below are some links to some suggested articles offering helpful tips and advice regarding offshore injury claims.

Click here to read an article with helpful suggestions and tips on how to hire the best lawyer for your offshore injury case.

Curious about the Jones Act?  Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

Want to know more about the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read the article "What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

Want to know the difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read about the difference between the two.

What to know the truth about offshore injury cases?  Click here to read The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

Want to know what you should do after an offshore injury to preserve your legal rights?  Click here to read  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

If you are hurt and your employer is giving you a hard time, click here to read "I was injured on the job and my employer is giving me a hard time - What should I do"

Employer trying to get you to give a recorded statement?  Click here to learn the truth about recorded statements and the best way to handle this request.

Thinking about trying to settle your offshore injury case without talking to a lawyer first?  Click here to learn why you can settle some cases yourself but in other cases not having a lawyer may be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Want to know what happens when you file an offshore injury or Jones Act case?  Click here to learn about Filing a Jones Act lawsuit.

Click here to learn about 6 Critical Things you must know if you are Injured At Sea

Your employer may be keeping secrets from you if you are hurt offshore.  Click here to read about The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

We get called by injured offshore workers all the time.  Some of them have good cases, some of them don't. 

We were recently retained by a young man working on the DANIEL C, a boat owned and operated by D&S Marine Services out of Louisiana.  Our client was badly injured while working for D&S.

Our investigation reveals that our client was hurt because of the negligence of D&S Marine Services as well as the unseaworthiness of the DANIEL C.

If you have any information about D&S Marine Services, the DANIEL C, or any of the other vessels in the fleet, or acts of negligence by the company, please call us toll free at 877.724.7800.

Or you can contact us by submitting contact information onto this website.

To learn more about maritime cases or the Jones Act, please visit our other websites,  www.maritimeaccidentattorney.comwww.maritimeaccidentattorneys.com or www.vbattorneys.com.


Want to know more about offshore injury claims? 

Below are some links to some suggested articles offering helpful tips and advice regarding offshore injury claims.

Click here to read an article with helpful suggestions and tips on how to hire the best lawyer for your offshore injury case.

Curious about the Jones Act?  Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

Want to know more about the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read the article "What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

Want to know the difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read about the difference between the two.

What to know the truth about offshore injury cases?  Click here to read The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

Want to know what you should do after an offshore injury to preserve your legal rights?  Click here to read  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

If you are hurt and your employer is giving you a hard time, click here to read "I was injured on the job and my employer is giving me a hard time - What should I do"

Employer trying to get you to give a recorded statement?  Click here to learn the truth about recorded statements and the best way to handle this request.

Thinking about trying to settle your offshore injury case without talking to a lawyer first?  Click here to learn why you can settle some cases yourself but in other cases not having a lawyer may be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Want to know what happens when you file an offshore injury or Jones Act case?  Click here to learn about Filing a Jones Act lawsuit.

Click here to learn about 6 Critical Things you must know if you are Injured At Sea

Your employer may be keeping secrets from you if you are hurt offshore.  Click here to read about The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Houston and Galveston have two of the busiest ports in the country for cruise ship business.  Most of the major cruise ship companies make port in Galveston or the Port of Houston, or both.

Cruise ship vacations can be great fun.  However, too often, injuries occur on cruise ships that were preventable.

If you are injured on a cruise ship, you have legal remedies.  Your case most likely falls under "maritime law," so you will want to hire an experience maritime attorney to review your case.

In the meantime, there are two broad catergories of "maritime law" that apply to your case if you are hurt on a cruise ship.  Your legal remedies will depend on what you were doing on the cruise ship when you were hurt.

1.  Cruise ship employees

If you were employed by the cruise ship and working on the ship when you got hurt, then you are most likely a Jones Act "seaman" (or seamwoman). 

That means you are entitled to claim a monetary recovery under the Jones Act for any injuries you sustain, your medical care, you lost wages (both past and future), as well as your human damages like pain and suffering, mental anguish, and other simliar claims.

Curious about the Jones Act?  Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

2.  Cruise ship passengers

If you were a passenger on a cruise ship, then you are probably entitled to recover for your injuries under "General Maritime Law." 

General maritime law is not as favorable as the Jones Act.

However, you can probably still make a monetary recovery if you can prove that the cruise ship, or one of its employees, failed to exercise reasonable care for the safety of the passengers. 

Cruise lines owe a duty to exercise reasonable care for the safety of the passengers as well as reasonable care under all the circumstances.

3.  Conclusion

Our firm regularly handles cruise ship injury claims.  We have represented both cruise line passengers as well as cruise line employees.  We have handled cases against most of the major cruise lines.

If you have been injured in a cruise line accident, we would be happy to assist you in your claim.

Want to know more about offshore injury claims? 

Below are some links to some suggested articles offering helpful tips and advice regarding offshore injury claims.

Click here to read an article with helpful suggestions and tips on how to hire the best lawyer for your offshore injury case.

Curious about the Jones Act?  Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

Want to know more about the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read the article "What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

Want to know the difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read about the difference between the two.

What to know the truth about offshore injury cases?  Click here to read The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

Want to know what you should do after an offshore injury to preserve your legal rights?  Click here to read  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

If you are hurt and your employer is giving you a hard time, click here to read "I was injured on the job and my employer is giving me a hard time - What should I do"

Employer trying to get you to give a recorded statement?  Click here to learn the truth about recorded statements and the best way to handle this request.

Thinking about trying to settle your offshore injury case without talking to a lawyer first?  Click here to learn why you can settle some cases yourself but in other cases not having a lawyer may be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Want to know what happens when you file an offshore injury or Jones Act case?  Click here to learn about Filing a Jones Act lawsuit.

Click here to learn about 6 Critical Things you must know if you are Injured At Sea

Your employer may be keeping secrets from you if you are hurt offshore.  Click here to read about The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Way Too Many Offshore Workers Are Mistreated When They Are Hurt

    It is a simple fact of life and one that our law firm has seen too many times.  

    A good, hard-working employee is injured offshore on the job through no fault of his or her own.  The employee reports the injury.  The company then either refuses to do an accident report, does a very quick but not very thorough accident report (or even an inaccurate report), and then tries to get the employee to write something or sign something giving away all their legal rights.  

    Sometimes, the company will try to make the hurt employee sign something before they will get them medical attention, a totally improper (and probably unethical) way of doing business.

    We have even seen cases where dredge companies go to the hospital after a worker is injured and try to get the injured worker to sign papers giving away important legal rights while the worker is laying in his hospital bed on medication.

    Even if the injured worker can convince the company to provide medical care, often it will just be a quick exam by a company medic (not even a doctor) who will say the injury is a bruise or blister or some other minor issue.  The medic then gives the injured employee some over-the-counter medication and orders the employee back to work.

    In more serious cases, some companies will provide immediate medical care.  

    But they will provide the care through a company medical facility using company doctors.  And those company doctors will be doing everything they can to save the company money and get the worker back to work before he or she is ready.

    It’s really amazing.  

    There are medical facilities that basically do nothing but provide services for offshore companies and other industrial type companies.  They make hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars off these companies.


    Of course they are going to put the companies’ interest first.

    This does not mean these medical facilities are dishonest or that the doctors are lying.  However, medicine can be an art as well as a science, which means there are gray areas in medicine.  

    If your case is a close call, and the choice is between saving the company money or providing a complete and full medical workup and follow-up care to you, many of these facilities are going to lean towards the saving the company money.

    Once the company has a “release to work” paper from the company doctor, even if you aren’t ready to return, they will pester you and bug you and bother you and call you and write you and demand that you come back to work.

    You know whether you are ready to return.  

    When you are still hurting, and not able to do the hard work it takes to be an offshore worker, if the company makes you go back to work you may hurt yourself even worse.  Or you may be a safety risk to your fellow workers.

    That’s why you want to make sure you are completely healed and better—both for your own health and the safety of your fellow workers.

    But if you don’t return to work when the company wants and on the company’s schedule, then you’re probably going to get fired.  
    
    The company may say you “quit” by not coming back to work.  Or the company may say you “walked off the job” because you didn’t come back.

    Really this is just a way where they can avoid responsibility for firing an injured worker.

    Offshore companies know that there are other workers who are ready, willing, and able to go offshore to make the kind of money that offshore companies pay. 

    So if an employee is injured offshore, even if it’s not his or her fault, they may be out of a job really quickly.

  Want to know more about offshore injury claims? 

Below are some links to some suggested articles offering helpful tips and advice regarding offshore injury claims.

Click here to read an article with helpful suggestions and tips on how to hire the best lawyer for your offshore injury case.

Curious about the Jones Act?  Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

Want to know more about the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read the article "What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

Want to know the difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read about the difference between the two.

What to know the truth about offshore injury cases?  Click here to read The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

Want to know what you should do after an offshore injury to preserve your legal rights?  Click here to read  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

If you are hurt and your employer is giving you a hard time, click here to read "I was injured on the job and my employer is giving me a hard time - What should I do"

Employer trying to get you to give a recorded statement?  Click here to learn the truth about recorded statements and the best way to handle this request.

Thinking about trying to settle your offshore injury case without talking to a lawyer first?  Click here to learn why you can settle some cases yourself but in other cases not having a lawyer may be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Want to know what happens when you file an offshore injury or Jones Act case?  Click here to learn about Filing a Jones Act lawsuit.

Click here to learn about 6 Critical Things you must know if you are Injured At Sea

Your employer may be keeping secrets from you if you are hurt offshore.  Click here to read about The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

We are pleased to announce the coming publication of a new book written exclusively for people injured offshore.

The working title of the book is "The Complete Guide to Jones Act and Maritime Injury Claims." 

We anticipate the book will be published and ready for shipment in late June or early July 2008.

This is a book that the offshore employers, cruise ship companies, and the insurance companies DO NOT want you to read. 

Why?

Because we expose their tricks and secrets and defenses and provide real, practical advice for winning your injury case.

Stand-by for more details.

Want to know more about offshore injury claims? 

Below are some links to some suggested articles offering helpful tips and advice regarding offshore injury claims.

Click here to read an article with helpful suggestions and tips on how to hire the best lawyer for your offshore injury case.

Curious about the Jones Act?  Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

Want to know more about the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read the article "What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

Want to know the difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read about the difference between the two.

What to know the truth about offshore injury cases?  Click here to read The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

Want to know what you should do after an offshore injury to preserve your legal rights?  Click here to read  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

If you are hurt and your employer is giving you a hard time, click here to read "I was injured on the job and my employer is giving me a hard time - What should I do"

Employer trying to get you to give a recorded statement?  Click here to learn the truth about recorded statements and the best way to handle this request.

Thinking about trying to settle your offshore injury case without talking to a lawyer first?  Click here to learn why you can settle some cases yourself but in other cases not having a lawyer may be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Want to know what happens when you file an offshore injury or Jones Act case?  Click here to learn about Filing a Jones Act lawsuit.

Click here to learn about 6 Critical Things you must know if you are Injured At Sea

Your employer may be keeping secrets from you if you are hurt offshore.  Click here to read about The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Another injured offshore worker recently hired our firm to represent him in his offshore injury case.

Our client was hurt while working offshore on the Adriatic III, an offshore 350 foot jack-up rig currently the Gulf of Mexico. 

He was injured while working for CleanBlast, an offshore services company, while working on the jack-up rig owned and operated by GlobalSantaFe Drilling Company and Transocean Offshore.

We filed our client's lawsuit in Galveston, Texas under the Jones Act and General Maritime law.  He seeks damages for loss of income, medical expenses, future loss of income and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and costs of court, among other things.

Have you been injured on a jack-up rig or while working for GlobalSantaFe, Transocean, or CleanBlast?

If so, we would be interested in hearing your story.  In many injury cases that happen on jack-up rigs or offshore, the offshore companies will claim it was a "freak accident" that never happened before or that the accident was all the injured worker's fault. 

If you know otherwise, please call our offices toll free at 877.724.7800.  Or use the contact form on this website to send us an email.

Want to know more about offshore injury claims? 

Below are some links to some suggested articles offering helpful tips and advice regarding offshore injury claims.

Click here to read an article with helpful suggestions and tips on how to hire the best lawyer for your offshore injury case.

Curious about the Jones Act?  Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

Want to know more about the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read the article "What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

Want to know the difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read about the difference between the two.

What to know the truth about offshore injury cases?  Click here to read The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

Want to know what you should do after an offshore injury to preserve your legal rights?  Click here to read  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

If you are hurt and your employer is giving you a hard time, click here to read "I was injured on the job and my employer is giving me a hard time - What should I do"

Employer trying to get you to give a recorded statement?  Click here to learn the truth about recorded statements and the best way to handle this request.

Thinking about trying to settle your offshore injury case without talking to a lawyer first?  Click here to learn why you can settle some cases yourself but in other cases not having a lawyer may be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Want to know what happens when you file an offshore injury or Jones Act case?  Click here to learn about Filing a Jones Act lawsuit.

Click here to learn about 6 Critical Things you must know if you are Injured At Sea

Your employer may be keeping secrets from you if you are hurt offshore.  Click here to read about The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Our firm has been hired by a young deckhand who was injured while working for Blake Offshore. 

Blake Offshore, according to the Blake Offshore website, is the "only remaining privately held offshore rig provider in the United States.

Our client was working on the Blake 151 jack-up rig.  He was badly hurt on that vessel due to negligence on the company's part.  We filed a lawsuit under the Jones Act and General Maritime law.

Do you know anything about other injuries at Blake Offshore or other negligence of Blake Offshore?

We would be interested in hearing from anyone who has any knowledge of Blake Offshore injury cases or other negligence-related activities.

Want to know more about offshore injury claims? 

Below are some links to some suggested articles offering helpful tips and advice regarding offshore injury claims.

Click here to read an article with helpful suggestions and tips on how to hire the best lawyer for your offshore injury case.

Curious about the Jones Act?  Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

Want to know more about the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read the article "What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

Want to know the difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read about the difference between the two.

What to know the truth about offshore injury cases?  Click here to read The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

Want to know what you should do after an offshore injury to preserve your legal rights?  Click here to read  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

If you are hurt and your employer is giving you a hard time, click here to read "I was injured on the job and my employer is giving me a hard time - What should I do"

Employer trying to get you to give a recorded statement?  Click here to learn the truth about recorded statements and the best way to handle this request.

Thinking about trying to settle your offshore injury case without talking to a lawyer first?  Click here to learn why you can settle some cases yourself but in other cases not having a lawyer may be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Want to know what happens when you file an offshore injury or Jones Act case?  Click here to learn about Filing a Jones Act lawsuit.

Click here to learn about 6 Critical Things you must know if you are Injured At Sea

Your employer may be keeping secrets from you if you are hurt offshore.  Click here to read about The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Our firm receives a lot of calls from workers in the offshore injuries.  We also receive a lot of calls from lawyers with clients who were hurt offshore. 

Often, these lawyers have never handled an offshore injury or wrongful death case and want our advice or want us to accept a case they have been working on.

We are happy to help.  However, it is always much better to call us soon after your injury or accident claim. 

Why?  Because if you don't, you may accidentally do something to sink your case before it even gets started. 

We see the same mistakes again and again.  They are easy to avoid.  But if you've never been in the situation before, you may not even know you are making a mistake before it's already made.

Here are five common mistakes that can sink your offshore injury claim:

1.  Not reporting your accident immediately. 

If you don't report your accident, the company will claim it didn't happen and basically call you a liar.  It is especially important to report your accident immediately if there were no witnesses.

2.  Giving the company or insurance people a written or recorded statement before you talk to a lawyer.

If you are hurt, the company (or its insurance people) will try to get you to give a tape-recorded statement or to sign a written statement.  DON'T DO IT!.  The company (and its insurance people) are experts at tricking you into saying something that may haunt you later on.

It is, however, okay to give a brief description on the company accident report.

3.  Not seeking medical care immediately.

Again, if you do not seek medical care immediately and try to "tough it out" instead, the company will claim that you're making up the injury later.  If you think there is any chance you were hurt, seek good medical care.

4.  Hiding past accidents from your lawyer

Many offshore workers have suffered more than one accident because the nature of the work is so dangerous.  You need to let your lawyer know about your other injuries.  If you don't, and you are caught in a lie, it will destroy your credibility and damage your case severely.

If you are honest, however, most of the time previous injuries are not that big of a deal.

5.  Hiring a lawyer who has never handled a Jones Act or maritime injury case

Don't hire the first lawyer you talk to!  Don't hire a lawyer just because a friend recommends him or her.  Don't hire a lawyer because that lawyer shouts the loudest or has the most commercials.

Hire a lawyer you like, who deals with you openly and honestly, and most important, hire a lawyer who actually has experience handling cases like yours.

Want to know more about offshore injury claims? 

Below are some links to some suggested articles offering helpful tips and advice regarding offshore injury claims.

Click here to read an article with helpful suggestions and tips on how to hire the best lawyer for your offshore injury case.

Curious about the Jones Act?  Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

Want to know more about the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read the article "What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

Want to know the difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read about the difference between the two.

What to know the truth about offshore injury cases?  Click here to read The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

Want to know what you should do after an offshore injury to preserve your legal rights?  Click here to read  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

If you are hurt and your employer is giving you a hard time, click here to read "I was injured on the job and my employer is giving me a hard time - What should I do"

Employer trying to get you to give a recorded statement?  Click here to learn the truth about recorded statements and the best way to handle this request.

Thinking about trying to settle your offshore injury case without talking to a lawyer first?  Click here to learn why you can settle some cases yourself but in other cases not having a lawyer may be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Want to know what happens when you file an offshore injury or Jones Act case?  Click here to learn about Filing a Jones Act lawsuit.

Click here to learn about 6 Critical Things you must know if you are Injured At Sea

Your employer may be keeping secrets from you if you are hurt offshore.  Click here to read about The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

We are pleased to announce that one of our clients, a commercial diver who works offshore, has obtained a settlement against his employer and a lift boat company following serious injuries he sustained while diving offshore.

Our client was employed by Seamar Divers and worked on a Montco Offshore lift boat.  According to their websites, Seamar Divers provides offshore commercial divers, subsea construction, and subsea fabrication services to the oil and gas industry.  Montco Offshore provides lift boats to the offshore industry.

Our client was hurt when the Seamar supervisor failed to monitor the dive properly, resulting in our client getting "the bends."  The Montco crane operator brought him up too quickly and dropped him too hard on the deck of the lift boat, resulting in severe orthopedic injuries.

After working on the case for less than a year, we were able to negotiate a settlement that takes care of all medical bills, expenses, attorney fees, and still leaves a substantial monetary recovery for our client to invest or spends how he wants.

Did you know commercial divers may be covered by the Jones Act or maritime law?

Many commercial divers (and probably even a lot of lawyers) do not realize that commercial divers may be covered by the Jones Act and general maritime law if they are injured offshore.

To learn more about commercial divers and their rights under the Jones Act, read the following article:

Are Diving Accidents Covered by the Jones Act?

Want to know more about offshore injury claims? 

We strive to provide the best, most professional, and most effective representation to workers in the offshore industry. 

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  What is the Jones Act?

3.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

4.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

5.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

6.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

7.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

8.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

9.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

10.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

11.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

12. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Many casino workers don't know this, but if they are injured on a casino boat, they may have special legal rights under the Jones Act to make a claim for their injuries and damages.

For example, a security guard working at Argosy’s Alton Belle Casino  recently filed a Jones Act case because, according to the lawsuit, her employer failed to comply with the Jones Act by making her workplace safe and free from hazardous condition, which resulted in her injuries.

Want to know more about offshore injury claims? 

Below are some links to some suggested articles offering helpful tips and advice regarding offshore injury claims.

Click here to read an article with helpful suggestions and tips on how to hire the best lawyer for your offshore injury case.

Curious about the Jones Act?  Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

Want to know more about the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read the article "What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

Want to know the difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read about the difference between the two.

What to know the truth about offshore injury cases?  Click here to read The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

Want to know what you should do after an offshore injury to preserve your legal rights?  Click here to read  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

If you are hurt and your employer is giving you a hard time, click here to read "I was injured on the job and my employer is giving me a hard time - What should I do"

Employer trying to get you to give a recorded statement?  Click here to learn the truth about recorded statements and the best way to handle this request.

Thinking about trying to settle your offshore injury case without talking to a lawyer first?  Click here to learn why you can settle some cases yourself but in other cases not having a lawyer may be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Want to know what happens when you file an offshore injury or Jones Act case?  Click here to learn about Filing a Jones Act lawsuit.

Click here to learn about 6 Critical Things you must know if you are Injured At Sea

Your employer may be keeping secrets from you if you are hurt offshore.  Click here to read about The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Kevin Camel at Cox, Cox, Filo, Camel & Wilson recently posted a comment on our website about a case his firm handled.

If you have been injured offshore and are looking for a lawyer in the Lake Charles area to handle your case, consider contacting the lawyers at Cox, Cox, Filo, Camel & Wlson.

You can find their website and phone number by clicking here. 

Below is the post Mr. Camel put on our maritime website describing a case his firm handled on behalf of a severely injured maritime worker.
***********

The injured worker should not have to just "suck it up". Despite, or perhaps because of, advances in technology, the offshore industry is the most dangerous industry in which to work. Yet, rather than provide proper care to injured seamen and other offshore workers, the companies discourage them from making a claim for the benefits which they require to recover from their injuries.

Our firm represented a man who was crushed between a fixed crane and a tugger (air-winch) installed aboard the employer's vessel. The defendant employer had installed the tugger within the turn radius of the crane, creating a pinch point between the counterweight of the crane and a protective frame surrounding the tugger. The accident caused severe trauma to the seaman's anus, perineum, and rectum, internal organs, and left hip, resulting in the installation of an artificial bowel sphincter. The man has undergone over forty surgical procedures, including the creation and reversal of a colostomy and numerous debridements under anesthesia. The Jones Act seaman still suffers with severe scarring of his anus and rectum and damage to the sciatic nerve, causing uncontrolled chronic pain.

In addition to maintenance and cure benefits in excess of $1 million, we obtained $10.5 million for the seaman in settlement of his claim for damages against the employer under the Jones Act.

We worked diligently throughout the claim to ensure that the man received all the necessary treatment for his serious injuries.

********************************
Want to know more about offshore injury claims? 

Below are some links to some suggested articles offering helpful tips and advice regarding offshore injury claims.

Click here to read an article with helpful suggestions and tips on how to hire the best lawyer for your offshore injury case.

Curious about the Jones Act?  Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

Want to know more about the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read the article "What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

Want to know the difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read about the difference between the two.

What to know the truth about offshore injury cases?  Click here to read The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

Want to know what you should do after an offshore injury to preserve your legal rights?  Click here to read  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

If you are hurt and your employer is giving you a hard time, click here to read "I was injured on the job and my employer is giving me a hard time - What should I do"

Employer trying to get you to give a recorded statement?  Click here to learn the truth about recorded statements and the best way to handle this request.

Thinking about trying to settle your offshore injury case without talking to a lawyer first?  Click here to learn why you can settle some cases yourself but in other cases not having a lawyer may be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Want to know what happens when you file an offshore injury or Jones Act case?  Click here to learn about Filing a Jones Act lawsuit.

Click here to learn about 6 Critical Things you must know if you are Injured At Sea

Your employer may be keeping secrets from you if you are hurt offshore.  Click here to read about The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

An injured worker has sued Matteson Marine Service, alleging that the company failed to provide him a safe workplace.  According to the lawsuit, the worker was injured because Matteson Marine Service was negligent.

The worker also claims that the company failed to provide him with maintenance and cure.  Or, put another way, that they failed to pay him any money while he was recuperating and failed to pay for his medical treatment.

You can read more about the case by clicking here.

What do you think about companies that fail to pay for proper medical care when an employee is injured?

Should the worker just "suck it up" and go back to work?  Or should the company provide the best care possibl since the worker was hurt at work? 

We welcome your comments.

********************************
Want to know more about offshore injury claims? 

Below are some links to some suggested articles offering helpful tips and advice regarding offshore injury claims.

Click here to read an article with helpful suggestions and tips on how to hire the best lawyer for your offshore injury case.

Curious about the Jones Act?  Click here for a general overview of the Jones Act.

Want to know more about the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read the article "What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

Want to know the difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Worker's Compensation Act?  Click here to read about the difference between the two.

What to know the truth about offshore injury cases?  Click here to read The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

Want to know what you should do after an offshore injury to preserve your legal rights?  Click here to read  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

If you are hurt and your employer is giving you a hard time, click here to read "I was injured on the job and my employer is giving me a hard time - What should I do"

Employer trying to get you to give a recorded statement?  Click here to learn the truth about recorded statements and the best way to handle this request.

Thinking about trying to settle your offshore injury case without talking to a lawyer first?  Click here to learn why you can settle some cases yourself but in other cases not having a lawyer may be a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

Want to know what happens when you file an offshore injury or Jones Act case?  Click here to learn about Filing a Jones Act lawsuit.

Click here to learn about 6 Critical Things you must know if you are Injured At Sea

Your employer may be keeping secrets from you if you are hurt offshore.  Click here to read about The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

If you or a loved one are injured in an accident offshore, whether it be on a boat, a dredge, an offshore oil platform, a vessel, a freighter, a cruise ship, or any other type of water-borne method of transportation, you need to hire the best lawyer for your case.

Why is hiring the best lawyer, and just not any lawyer with a law degree, really important in offshore injury cases? 

Because the hidden secret is that most lawyers have never handled an offshore injury case and don't know the first thing about offshore injury law. 

So how do you find the best lawyer for your particular case?  And how do you even get an appointment to talk to the best offshore injury lawyers?

The best and most experienced attorneys who handle offshore injury or Jones Act cases will have people lining up at their door to hire them.  These lawyers will be very selective about the cases they accept and the people they represent.  It's often hard to get an appointment to talk with them directly.

If it's easy to get an immediate appointment with the lawyer you are thinking about hiring, ask yourself why?  Maybe that lawyer doesn't have much else to do?

Once you get an appointment with a lawyer you are thinking about hiring for an injury, accident, wrongful death, or business dispute case you should ask questions.  Lots of them.

Good lawyers will not be insulted by questions.  They will most likely encourage you to ask as many questions as you want.  Most of the best Jones Act and offshore injury lawyers will want you to educate yourself during the hiring process.

Any lawyer who seems to discourage your questions or doesn't answer them in a straightforward no-nonsense way should raise red flags.

After all, the best lawyers consider it their job to keep you informed and educated and comfortable during the entire process.

Questions to ask a lawyer you are thinking about hiring for an offshore injury case

1.  How long have you been in practice?

2.  Do you have any experience handling a case like mine?

3.  Can you give me a list of your past results or past cases?

4.  Have you  ever published any articles about cases like mine?

5.  Have you ever had a case against the same company that was negligent in my case?

6.  Will you actually work on my case?

7.  How much experience does your support staff have in these types of cases?

8.  Have you ever won a large verdict or settlement?

9.  Are you board-certified in any field?

10.  Do you carry malpractice insurance?

11.  Have you ever been disciplined or reprimanded by a bar association?

12.  What is my case worth?

13.  Have you ever represented large companies or insurance companies?

14.  Can I have a copy of my attorney-client contract to take home and study?

15.  Why do you believe you should handle my case and not some other lawyer?

This list does not include every possible good question.  It may depend on your case.  But this list will certainly cover a lot of important areas and get you started down the right road.

Any good offshore injury lawyer will be glad to answer all these questions and any other questions you have.  And they will be glad to answer them in a straightforward, honest, no-nonsense way!

If the lawyer is evasive or says he won't answer your questions until you hire him as your lawyer by signing papers, then you should probably just leave the appointment.  That lawyer is either not experienced enough for your case, is desperate for business, or has something to hide.

Have a good question you'd like to suggest? 

If you have other questions you'd like to suggest that are not on the list above, please submit your question to the comments section below.  We will print the most popular and most helpful question in a future post.

For more questions, visit the rest of the entires on this website or go to www.vbattorneys.com.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

We handle a lot of offshore injury cases.  The workers who work on vessels, be they barges, dredges, boats, cruise ships, oil rigs, crane barges, or any other type of offshore vessel typically are asked to do hard, heavy manual work. 

All too often, in our experience, those workers suffer back, neck, shoulder, knee, or other serious orthopedic injuries as a result of inadequate equipment, staffing, training, safety precautions, or by being pushed to do their work too quickly or in unsafe conditions.

These types of injuries can be career-threatening or even, in some cases, career-ending.  Workers who must have strong backs, legs, and arms often find themselves unable to do the work when they suffer one of these types of injuries.

Often, what will happen after an injury is the company will send the worker to company-sponsored or company-affiliated doctors.  After a cursory or quick medical examination, the doctor will simply send the worker back to work on "light duty" or will even give a full release, without doing a complete or thorough medical examination and before the worker is ready to return to work. 

When the worker tells the company that he is not ready to return, the company will give two stark choices--return to work or lose your job.

Not much of a choice.

Fortunately, the Jones Act and maritime law provides some legal protection to workers in this situation.  For example, under the Jones Act  and maritime law, you are allowed to go to a doctor of your own choosing.  If you are not physically ready to go back to work, the companies should be paying part of your salary in the form of maintenance payments and should be faciiliating your medical treatment and paying the doctors promptly.

If the company (or its insurance companies) don't cooperate and do everything reasonably in their power to assist you during your recovery, they may very well be running afoul of the law.

You can make a legal claim if the company and its insurance company do not help facilitate your medical care and act reasonably when you are injured.  In these situations, it is important that you talk with an experienced Jones Act or maritime injury lawyer, a lawyer you are comfortable with who has the experience and resources to help you get a full and fair recovery.

This is particularly important when your injury is career-threatening or possibly career-ending.

Don't fall into the "trap" that you must listen only to the company-referred doctor. 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

Our firm is currently prosecuting a Jones Act case against Capital Inland Marine and Kirby Inland Marine, two Texas-based towing and barge companies.

You can find website links for Kirby by clicking on www.kirbycorp.com.  Capital Inland Marine does not appear to have a website.

The injured party was working as a tankerman / deckhand for Capital Inland Marine.  The lawsuit alleges that he was severely injured when he fell in a dangerous area of the vessel he was working on.

We are looking for any information, documents, etc. regarding either Kirby Inland Marine or Capital Inland Marine relating to any dangerous conditions or injury-causing events on their vessels.

If you have such information and would like to share it, please contact Cathy at 713.224.7800.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks

A barge worker who was working on a Teco Barge Line vessel on the Mississippi River has filed a Jones Act case against his employer for his injuries.

According to the lawsuit, the worker suffered serious and permanent hip injuries in March 2006.  He claims that the company failed to provide him with safe equipment, proper assistance, and competent supervision.  The worker claims damages for lost wages, human damages like pain and suffereing, and medical expenses.

Comment from Texas Jones Act and Maritime Lawyer Brian Beckcom:

If you are a "seaman" as that term is defined in the Jones Act, your employer is REQUIRED to pay your medical bills until you reach "maximum medical improvement" and also is REQUIRED to pay your "maintenance," which is a daily monetary amount that is supposed to provide for your living and lodging and food expenses while you recuperate from your injuries.

If you are an offshore worker who is a Jones Act "seaman," and your employer is NOT paying your medical bills or maintenance, they are not following the law. 

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks