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

Question:

I was injured offshore.  I was working for an oil company on an offshore jack-up rig (or oil platform).  What legal rights do I have to recover fair compensation for my injuries?

Answer:

We get these kinds of questions a lot probably because a lot of offshore oil workers call us to represent them.

With the increase in oil prices and the demand for more oil to feed our economy, the oil companies are doing more drilling and exploration for oil in the Gulf of Mexico and other deepwater sites. 

Unfortunately, that means more men and women in the oil industry face the risk of serious injury, or even death.

So what are your legal rights if you are injured offshore working for an oil company on a jack-up rig or platform?

If you are on a jack-up rig, you are probably a Jones Act seaman entitled to legal protection under the Jones Act and general maritime law.  However, this may not be true if your attachment to the jack-up rig was short in duration or substance. 

You will need an experienced Jones Act attorney to look at the facts of your case and answer the question for you.

If you are hurt on a non-movable fixed platform, then you are probably not a Jones Act seaman.  That means you could be a Longshoreman entitled to benefits under the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act, or you may be able to bring a case under general maritime law, or state worker's compensation laws, or maybe, maybe even the Jones Act

The legal analysis can get pretty tricky.  You should probably hire a really competent and experienced Jones Act attorney to give you some answers to this question.

You can also visit our main website, www.vbattorneys.com, or our dedicated maritime law website, www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com, for more answers to many common questions.

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.

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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. 

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Reporting your injury in a timely fashion is one of the most important things you can do if you are injured offshore. 

Initially, you may think your injury is not serious.  However, if the injury turns out to be serious, your company, and its insurance company, may later claim that you weren't hurt or aren't hurt as bad as you claim if there is no report of the accident.

Any accident involving any injury, no matter how minor, should be reported immediately.  The right thing to do, and what most companies expect, is that you will tell them when you are injured.  You should make a truthful report.  You should not exagerate your injuries and you should not minimize them either.  You should make sure that you identify any witnesses and any possible reasons for the accident.

The company should then get the proper and timely medical care you need.  If they don't, consider consulting with an experienced Jones Act or maritime lawyer.  They can usually make arrangements for you to get proper medical care.

Companies do not like employees who make up injuries or employees who fail to report injuries timely.  Simply put, the best policy is to always report any accident or injury when it happens, whether you think it is serious or not.

We have had cases involving serious back, neck, shoulder, or other injuries that did not at first seem as serious as they turned out to be.  Not reporting your injury can really hurt your case.

Also, not reporting your injury immediately can delay medical care, which can then make the situation even worse for all involved. 

You may think that you will look better to the company if you don't report your injury or if you just try to "tough it out."  This is almost never true.  And any company that holds it against you for reporting an accident or injury is not following industry standards and policies or good common sense.

No matter where you live, we can help you if the company does not let you report your injury or accident or doesn't complete a proper report and do a full investigation.  If you run into a situation where the company is not handling your accident or injury claim the right way, feel free to call us for help and advice.

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Any ship, rig, barge, or boat owner who doesn't use non-skid or non-slip coatings or surfaces whether workers walking (any walking or working surface) is not living up to his responsibility to protect workers on the vessel from injury.

Maritime work can be some of the most rewarding types of employment you can find, both personally and financially.  Maritime work can involve working on a jack-up oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, a transport vessel plying the open oceans,  working barges in the intercoastal waterways or Mississippi River, or anything else involving working on the rivers or open seas. 

But maritime work can be hazardous if the ship or barge owners do not take proper precautions to protect employee safety.

One of the more common causes of injuries on boats, barges, offshore oil rigs, and other floating vessels involves slips and falls. 

Since maritime work necessarily involves working over, near, in, or around water, the walking and working surfaces get wet.  And that means slippery conditions.  Plus, the stairways and ladders on boats and rigs are often in tight quarters and very steep, making them even more potentially dangerous.

Slips and falls can result in extremely serious injuries.  Broken bones, back and neck injuries, knee, shoulder or elbow injuries, and even serious head injuries can result from slips and falls.

How do you protect yourself?

First, always try to be aware of where you are working and walking.  Keep floors and other walking and working surfaces free of debris, water, grease and other slippery substances.  Clean up spills as soon as they occur.

More important, perhaps, the captain or vessel owner should ensure that all walking and working surfaces are coated with some sort of non-slip or non-skid materials.  Anyone who works offshore knows that it is impossible to keep the surfaces clean of debris or slippery substances 100% of the time.  That's why it's so important for the shipowners to coat the walking surfaces with non-slip materials.

Any ship or vessel owner who doesn't maintain properly non-slip walking or working surfaces is not keeping the vessel properly maintained and could be liable under the Jones Act to any worker who is injured as a result.

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The first suggestion would be not to negotiate the case yourself if it involves a serious injury, significant time away from work, or otherwise involves more than just a minor injury or a few days away from work.

Why?  Because you will be entering a war zone.  The company will have experienced insurance adjusters, insurance investigators, and lawyers working "behind the scenes" to try to make your case worth as little money as possible.  They know the "tricks" that can hurt your case and they will use them on you with a smile on their face so you won't even see it coming until it's too late.

The insurance adjusters, investigators, and lawyers for the company make their living negotiating cases like yours.  This will not be their first time to negotiate a case or the last. 

If your case is serious, you should strongly consider consulting with a Jones Act or maritime law attorney.  At the very least, you should try to talk to such an attorney (or, better yet, talk to a few of them) before deciding whether to try to negotiate your case yourself.  Most of the time, such attorneys will give you a free initial consultation.

If your case is a smaller one, involving minor injuries or just a few days away from work, then negotiating yourself may be more efficient and effective.  Here are some "tips" for negotiating these small cases yourself:

1.  Get a copy of the accident report;
2.  Gather together all of your medical records and bills;
3.  Ask to take statements from all witnesses;
4.  Type up a letter to the insurance company, include the accident report, medical records and bills, and witness statements.  In the letter, set forth your opening "demand" (your first settlement number) by multiplying your medical bills and lost wages by some factor you think is fair;
5.  Give the company a deadline by which to respond.  If they do not respond by the deadline, you know they are not serious about your case.

Good luck.

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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. 

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Last week, Health Net, Inc., a health insurance company, was found liable to one of its policyholders for cancelling a cancer patient's health insurance policy while the patient was undergoing treatment.

The decision prompted Health Net to announce that they are scrapping present and future cancelation plans.

The decisionmaker, Sam Cianchetti, a retired Los Angeles County judge, found that Health Net had violated numerous state law in canceling Pasty Bates' policy.  He called the company's actions "despicable."

The trial also revealed that Health Net tied employee bonuses to the number of policies cancelled.  The retired judge called the bonus program reprehensible.

What does this decision mean for Texas policyholders or Texas accident and injury victims who have been mistreated by the insurance companies?

Unfortunately, not much.  In the past 10 years or so, Texas lawmakers and Texas courts have passed laws and issued decisions that protect insurance companies over policyholders.  It is still very difficult in Texas to sue an insurance company directly and win.  And even if you win, the laws make it difficult to survive an appeal.

If you are interested in protecting policyholders over insurance companies, the only way to make that happen is for your representatives to pass laws removing some of the protections provided to the insurance companies.  Call your state representative and bring this to their attention.

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The Houston Chronicle has an interesting article about British Petroleum and its safety record in today's edition.

Even after killing 15 people and injuring hundreds in 2005 at its Texas City refinery, and pleading guilty to a felony as a result of its conduct leading up to that explosion, BP apparently has not learned its lesson.

According to the Houston Chronicle, since the 2005 explosion, BP's Texas City refinery  is still the nation's most dangerous. 

You can read the full article by clicking here.

For some reason, the federal government apparently believes that a $50 million dollar fine for BP's felonious conduct would be sufficient punishment.

(Tell that to the parents, siblings, and children of the 15 people killed in 2005 and the 4 people killed since then.)

Many safety focused attorneys have objected to the proposed fine as too lenient.  Why?

Simply put, it is too lenient.  A $50 million dollar fine for BP (which is worth billions) is like a fine of less than one penny for someone with ten dollars.  It's just not high enough to have any deterrent effect.  It doesn't register.

Rather than have a meaningless, arbitrary fine, that will have a minimal effect on BP's bottom line, some people have suggested that the fine should be tied in some way connected to BP's net worth or profits.  That is the only way for the fine to have any "bite" to it.  Otherwise, the fine is basically meaningless.

What do you think?  Feel free to comment below.

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According to a story posted on BenGlassLaw.com, some major disability carriers are basically defrauding claimants.

At least one insurance company is sending 1099s to people with whom it settled in the previous year.  One major company is even telling the IRS that the settlements are taxable benefits. 

This is false.  If you receive disability benefits and paid the policy premiums, any benefits are not taxable.

Even though the major insurance company admits that it knows the settlements are not taxable, it is sending the 1099s to the IRS anyway.

This is pure fraud by this company.  It also means that the disabled person will spend time and money fixing the mistake.

These insurance company tactics should be stopped in their tracks immediately so people who are already disabled aren't forced to spend any more time and money messing with the insurance company or its mistakes.

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According to reports, a worker for New Port Building and Construction obtained a $1.47 million dollar settlement after he was paralyzed while working at the company president's personal residence.

The insurance company discovered after the accident that the injured worker had not filled out the proper insurance forms before the accident.

One of the most important things consumers must remember when purchasing insurance is to be honest and forthright on the application and to fill it out completely.  Do not fail to list information you think may increase your premium slightly or leave out requested information.  If you do, you run the risk of losing coverage for a later accident or covered claim.

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A Jones Act seaman's wife has filed a lawsuit against Blessey Marine, his employer, for the wrongful death of the seaman.

The seaman was killed by lighting on August 2007.  According to the lawsuit, Blessey Marine ordered the man to work outside in inclement weather.  The lawsuit claims that Blessey Marine violated industry standards.  The wife is seeking compensation for the loss of her husband.

What is the Jones Act?

The Jones Act allows injured seaman, or their heirs if they are killed, to bring a lawsuit against their employer. 

To find out more about the Jones Act, please contact our law firm at www.vbattorneys.com by going to the contact section of the main website. 

You can request a free copy of our book, "The Truth About Offshore Injury Cases." 

The book explains offshore injury cases, including Jones Act cases, and explains the entire process of a legal case for an offshore injury or death, including what to do in the early stages of the case, how to handle the insurance companies, whether and when and how to go about hiring a lawyer, and what to expect during the case.

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After an offshore injury, the insurance company will probably want to take a "recorded statement" from you.  The insurance company will tell you they are trying to "investigate your claim" and "determine liability" and they need your recorded statement "for their file." 

The insurance company will try to convince you it is in your best interest to give a quick recorded statement.  They will say something like "just tell us what happened" so they can "make an offer" on your case.

They may even try to convince you to sign paperwork.  That paperwork may completely eliminate your legal rights against the company or wrongdoer, or severely limit those rights.

For example, a company called "Weeks Marine" often tries to convince badly injured workers to sign papers giving up their right to sue.  Weeks Marine has gone so far as to go to the hospital after one of the workers was injured and shove papers in front of them injured worker.

It is a bad idea to give a recorded statement to the insurance company or employer unless you have your own independent attorney involved. 

Why?

Because the real purpose of a "recorded statement" is so the insurance company can trick you into saying something that will hurt your case or allow them to avoid responsibility for paying your claim. 

The insurance company  and their adjusters are skilled at "investigating" the case in such a way that it either allows them to avoid responsibility entirely or significantly reduce the amount of your claim.

The bottom line is that if you were injured at sea or injured offshore, and the insurance company starts trying to talk you into giving a recorded statement, carefully consider not giving a recorded statement without your own independent legal advice.  Otherwise, you may be falling into an insurance company trap.

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Merry Christmas to all the offshore workers from www.themaritimelawyer.com and all the lawyers and employees of our law firm.

The offshore workers, including the oil rig workers, supply boat workers, blue water seamen and brown water seamen, tug operators, and all the other men and women who support and maintain our maritime industry provide some of the most important services this country ever receives.

We are honored and proud to represent so many men and women involved in the maritime industry and look forward to doing everything we can to provide the best legal services to the men and women involved in the maritime industry in the coming year. 

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Selecting the Right Lawyer May Be The Most Important Decision You Make
By Brian Beckcom

When you suffer a serious injury working offshore, or if a loved one is killed working offshore, selecting which lawyer will represent you in your case is one of the most important decision you will ever make for your case, if not the most important decision.  If your injury is career-threatening or career ending, or if the family breadwinner has been killed or disabled, obtaining a good monetary result in your case may be the most important thing that could happen financially.

Frankly, not many lawyers handle Jones Act, Longshore, Injury at Sea, or Maritime Injury cases on a regular basis. 

In fact, the vast majority of lawyers have never handled a Jones Act or Maritime Injury case in their entire career.

Now, some lawyers will tell you they have experience or are able to handle your case.  But before you hire a lawyer to handle any offshore injury case, you should consider the following five things:

1.  Don't hire the first lawyer you talk to.  Interview more than one lawyer.  Hiring a lawyer is a very personal decision.  Some lawyers are great for particular clients and some just don't "fit" right.  So shop around a little before making your decision.

2.  Ask the lawyer directly how many offshore injury cases he or she has handled in his or her entire career.  If the lawyer doesn't give you a direct answer, consider finding another lawyer to represent you.

3.  Ask the lawyer if he or she is board-certified in any field of law? 

4.  Find out about past case results by asking the lawyer for a list of case results.  Any competent lawyer should be able to provide this to you relatively easily.

5.  Ask the lawyer whether he has ever published any articles or given any speeches on Jones Act, Longshore, or Maritime Injury cases.  Obviously, it is not necessary for the lawyer to have published articles for he or she to be a good lawyer--but it doesn't hurt.

Remember, hiring a lawyer is a personal decision and you certainly don't have to hire the first one you interview.  You should shop around a little bit, ask the right questions, and only hire an attorney once you are satisfied with the answers to your questions and comfortable with the attorney and his assistants on a personal level.

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About the author

Brian Beckcom is a board-certified personal injury trial lawyer with extensive experience handling serious personal injury and wrongful death matters, including Jones Act, Longshore, and General Maritime Injury cases.

Mr. Beckcom practices at Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C., a Houston-based law firm with a national practice.

To contact Mr. Beckcom and schedule an appointment to discuss your legal matter, call toll free 877.724.7800.

To learn more about the Mr. Beckcom and his firm's practice, visit the following websites:

www.vbattorneys.com
www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com
www.themaritimelawyer.com

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SEAMEN'S ALERT

Houston, Texas - December 22, 2007

If you are injured offshore, you SHOULD NOT sign any paperwork given to you by your employer UNTIL YOU HAVE HAD THE PAPERS REVIEWED BY YOUR OWN, INDEPENDENT ATTORNEY!.  Unless, of course, you want to eliminate or severely limit your legal rights.

Recently, many employers (including K-Sea Transportation Co., Weeks Marine, and Great Lakes Dredging) have coerced their injured workers into signing papers after they are hurt which severely limit the injured workers' rights in court.  In some cases, signing these papers may result in the injured worker loosing thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

So unless you want to lose your legal rights, or severely limit, do not sign any papers given to you by your employer after you are hurt unless you have those papers reviewed by an independent lawyer you select.  (In other words, don't rely on legal advise from a company-selected lawyer).

If you want to read a case where an injured worker basically signed away many of his legal rights, look at Barbieri v. K-Sea Transportation Corp., 2006 WL 3751215 (E.D.N.Y. Dec. 19, 2006).

Mr. Beckcom is a Board-Certified Personal Injury Lawyer who represents individuals and families.  Mr. Beckcom represents injured offshore workers and railroad workers in Texas and across the nation and the world. 

If you would like to speak with Mr. Beckcom about your potential legal case, you can call his law firm and schedule a telephone conference.  The toll free number is 877.724.7800

You can visit one of the firm's website to learn more about what we do:

www.vbattorneys.com
www.themaritimelawyer.com
www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

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About the firm

Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. is a firm of board certified personal injury trial lawyers who handle serious injury and death cases, as well as business and insurance cases, on a contingency fee basis. 

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Before the Death on the High Seas Act, U.S. Courts did not provide any remedy for wrongful death occuring on the high seas under General Maritime Law. 

Realizing how unfair this was, Congress passed the Death on the High Seas Act (DOSHA).  DOSHA applies to seafarers and passengers.  It provides a statutory wrongful death action and provides remedies for the personal representative of the decedent.

The U.S. Supereme Court, in a series of complex opinions, has held essentially that if the DOSHA controls, the courts were not free to supplement DOSHA's damages with common law damages.  And the Court extended those holdings to Jones Act seaman's death cases, holding that the parents of a deceased Jones Act seaman could not recover loss of society damages because the Jones Act has been interpreted as allowing only pecuniary losses.  (See Miles v. Apex Marine Corp., 498 U.S. 19 (1990).

So in cases where DOSHA applies, wrongful death damages are limited to "pecuniary losses" suffered by surviving family members (although in Jones Act cases, the deceased seaman's personal injury claim survives to his estate).

Also, state wrongful death laws cannot supplement or provide more damages when DOSHA applies.  (See Offshore Logistics, Inc. v. Tallentire, 477 U.S. 207 (1986).

So, what damages are recoverable under DOSHA?

DOSHA allows for "loss of support" damages.  That means survivors can recover the financial contributions the deceased would have made had he (or she) lived.

To recover loss of support, the family must show some sort of dependence or expectation of support. 

The total amount of support is not the decedent's future income.  You have to take out the portions of the future income the decedent would have consumed himself (or herself), reduce the totals to present value, and take out taxes.

Spouses are generally able to get loss of financial support over the decedent's work life.  Children can get support to the age of majority but only in special exceptions can children recover support damages after they reach majority.  For instance, in some cases, children may be able to recover for the cost of a college education.

Loss of inheritence may also be a legitimate recovery under DOSHA.

Loss of services (for example, services around the house like lawn care and maintenance of family vehicles) may be another item of recovery.  But to recover these damages, one must put on evidence of the reasonable value of these services.

Loss of nuture and guidance a parent would give to their children is also a legitimate pecuniary loss under DOSHA. 

Finally, funeral expenses are a legitimate pecuniary loss under DOSHA.

Spouses are generally able to get loss of financial support over the decedent's work life.  Children can get support to the age of majority but only in special exceptions can children recover support damages after they reach majority.  For instance, in some cases, children may be able to recover for the cost of a college education.

Loss of inheritence may also be a legitimate recovery under DOSHA.

Loss of services (for example, services around the house like lawn care and maintenance of family vehicles) may be another item of recovery.  But to recover these damages, one must put on evidence of the reasonable value of these services.

Loss of nuture and guidance a parent would give to their children is also a legitimate pecuniary loss under DOSHA. 

Finally, funeral expenses are a legitimate pecuniary loss under DOSHA.

For more information about the Jones Act or General Maritime Law, please contact Brian Beckcom at 713.224.7800, or toll free at 877.724.7800, or visit one of the firm's websites:

www.vbattorneys.com
www.themaritimelawyer.com
www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

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About the firm

Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. is a firm of board certified personal injury trial lawyers who handle serious injury and death cases, as well as business and insurance cases, on a contingency fee basis.  The firm has a substantial docket of Jones Act and maritime injury cases.

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On October 22, 2007, Carlos Guzman filed a Jones Act lawsuit  against CBH Services Inc. and Horizon Offshore Contractors Inc. in Jefferson County District Court.

Mr. Guzman claims that he hurt his back while moving a heavy ladder.  Mr. Guzman worked as a welder aboard "The Atlantic," a Horizon owned vessel.

Mr. Guzman's lawsuit claims more than $50,000 in damages.  Mr. Guzman sought out medical treatment shortly after the incident and continues to receive medical treatment from doctors and medical service providers.

According to Mr. Guzman, the defendants failed to provide a safe place to work, failed to provide safe tools and equipment, and failed to provide adequate supervision, among other things.

Back injuries are a common occurrence in the offshore industry.  Far too often, maritime workers are required to manually lift pieces of equipment that should not be lifted manually.  Faced with a choice of complying with the orders of the boss or losing a well-paying jobs, maritime workers often have no realistic choice.

Have you suffered a back injury or other serious injury offshore?

For more information about the Jones Act or General Maritime Law, please contact Brian Beckcom at 713.224.7800, or toll free at 877.724.7800, or visit one of the firm's websites:

www.vbattorneys.com
www.themaritimelawyer.com
www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

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About the firm

Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. is a firm of board certified personal injury trial lawyers who handle serious injury and death cases, as well as business and insurance cases, on a contingency fee basis.  The firm has a substantial docket of Jones Act and maritime injury cases.

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Houston, Texas

A tankerman employed by Kirby Inland Marine has filed a lawsuit against the company for personal injury damages.  The lawsuit is brought under the Jones Act and General Maritime Law.

According to the lawsuit, the injured employed was badly hurt as a result of unsafe equipment on a Kirby barge, including unsafe stairs and poor lighting.

The worker claims he qualifies as a Jones Act seaman and is entitled to maintenance and cure, negligence damages, and damages for the unseaworthiness of the vessel.

The worker has hired Brian Beckcom and his law firm, Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. to represent him in his case.

For more information about the Jones Act or General Maritime Law, please contact Brian Beckcom at 713.224.7800, or toll free at 877.724.7800, or visit one of the firm's websites:

www.vbattorneys.com
www.themaritimelawyer.com
www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

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About the firm

Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. is a firm of board certified personal injury trial lawyers who handle serious injury and death cases, as well as business and insurance cases, on a contingency fee basis.  The firm has a substantial docket of Jones Act and maritime injury cases.

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A Norwegian Cruise Line passenger fell five stories on a cruise ship going from Key West to Miami.  He fell from the 8th floor to the 3rd floor.  the Miami Dade County Fire Department took him to a trauma center.

Injury at Sea?

For more information about the Jones Act or General Maritime Law, please contact Brian Beckcom at 713.224.7800, or toll free at 877.724.7800, or visit one of the firm's websites:

www.vbattorneys.com
www.themaritimelawyer.com
www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

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About the firm

Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. is a firm of board certified personal injury trial lawyers who handle serious injury and death cases, as well as business and insurance cases, on a contingency fee basis.  The firm has a substantial docket of Jones Act and maritime injury cases.

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Tags: Maritime, Act, Act Jones, Injury, Lawsuit Moran, Lawyer, Maritime Law, Moran, Towing, Towing Jones, attorney Moran, claim?

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Gene Ricks, a tugboat worker, is bring a case against his Moran Towing, his employer under theJones Act. 

Mr. Ricks claims that he is a Jones Act seaman.  He claim against Moran Towing is brought under the Jones Act and General Maritime Law. 

Mr. Ricks was working aboard the M/V Greg Turecamo when he was injured.  The M/V Greg Turecamo is a tugboat.  It was called out to rescue another tugboat.  During the rescue, the tugboats were tied together.  One the lines popped and caused severe injury to Mr. Ricks.

Injury at Sea?

For more information about the Jones Act or General Maritime Law, please contact Brian Beckcom at 713.224.7800, or toll free at 877.724.7800, or visit one of the firm's websites:

www.vbattorneys.com
www.themaritimelawyer.com
www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

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About the firm

Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. is a firm of board certified personal injury trial lawyers who handle serious injury and death cases, as well as business and insurance cases, on a contingency fee basis.  The firm has a substantial docket of Jones Act and maritime injury cases.

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Tags: Maritime, Act, Act Jones, Articles, Injury, Jones Act, Lawsuit Moran, Lawyer, Maintenance and Cure, Moran, Towing, Towing Jones, attorney Moran, claim?

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Juan Gonzales, a temporary worker on a jack-up rig, has brought a claim against Beacon Maritime and Murphy Oil for injuries he sustained when he was hit by flying slag. 

Mr. Gonzales is bring his claims under the Jones Act, which protects injured offshore workers and seamen.  Mr. Gonzales' claims includes Murphy Oil and Beacon Maritime's failure to provide safe equipment, a safe working environment, and failing to provide medical care quickly enough.

For more information about the Jones Act or General Maritime Law, please contact Brian Beckcom at 713.224.7800, or toll free at 877.724.7800, or visit one of the firm's websites:

www.vbattorneys.com
www.themaritimelawyer.com
www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

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About the firm

Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. is a firm of board certified personal injury trial lawyers who handle serious injury and death cases, as well as business and insurance cases, on a contingency fee basis.  The firm has a substantial docket of Jones Act and maritime injury cases.

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Norweigian Cruse Lines Agrees to Settlement with Injured Worker

Press Release - October 2007, Houston, Texas

Norweigian Cruse Lines (NCL America) has agreed to settle a case filed by an injured worker.  The worker was injured while working aboard the Pride of America, a cruse ship stationed in Hawaii.

The employee injured his finger, arm, and neck while performing a life boat transfer operation.  He received a surgery on his finger and arm, and one of his treating doctors wrote a report stating that the worker needed surgery on his neck as well.  The injured Norweigian Cruse Lines employee incurred medical bills, lost wages, impairment, and pain and suffering.

The worker hired Brian Beckcom and the law firm of Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. to handle his case.  A lawsuit was filed under the Jones Act and General Maritime Law to recoup medical bills, lost wages, maintenance and cure, impairment, and pain and suffering damages.

The case settled in October 2007.  It was filed in the 333rd District Court of Harris County, Texas.

According to Mr. Beckcom, "Norweigian Cruse Lines denied any responsibility to the injured worker and denied it was negligent or that it was responsible for any damages.  We were fortunate to be able to obtain a prompt and fair settlement of this case using the Jones Act and General Maritime Law."

For more information, please contact Brian Beckcom at 713.224.7800, or toll free at 877.724.7800, or visit one of the firm's websites:

www.vbattorneys.com
www.themaritimelawyer.com
www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

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About the firm

Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. is a firm of board certified personal injury trial lawyers who handle serious injury and death cases, as well as business and insurance cases, on a contingency fee basis.  The firm has a substantial docket of Jones Act and maritime injury cases.

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Global Industries Offshore has agreed to settle a Jones Act case recently.  The case was brought by a rigger who was injured on the Global REM Commander dive vessel.  The rigger was injured when a defective chain binder failed, striking him violently in the face, shattering his teeth and gums, and injuring his neck.

The rigger hired Brian Beckcom of Vujasinovic & Beckcom, a Houston-based maritime and Jones Act law firm, to handle his case.  After one year of work, the case was settled for a significant confidential amount.

According to the injured seaman's attorney, Brian Beckcom, the case was complicated by the fact that Global Offshore claimed that the rigger was not a Jones Act seaman, destroyed or lost the defective chain binder after the accident, and blamed at least three other companies for the rigger's injuries.

"This case demonstrates that Jones Act cases need experienced Jones Act attorneys.  The case was complicated from a legal and factual standpoint.  We are glad that our client was able to secure a substantial settlement despite all the obstacles Global Offshore's lawyers threw up to try to avoid responsibility to him."

For more information, please contact Brian Beckcom at 713.224.7800, or toll free at 877.724.7800, or visit one of the firm's websites:

www.vbattorneys.com
www.themaritimelawyer.com
www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

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About the firm

Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. is a firm of board certified personal injury trial lawyers who handle serious injury and death cases, as well as business and insurance cases, on a contingency fee basis.  The firm has a substantial docket of Jones Act and maritime injury cases.

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Seaman Jacob Robichaux settled his Jones Act case against the Midnight Rider vessel, Helix International Energy Solutions Group, Cal Div Internaional and Mariner Energy.  The settlement occurred on September 8 and it is confidential.

Robichaux was employed by Helix Energy Solutions as a crewmember on the Midnight Rider.  While working, he injured his head, back, and neck.  He claimed the vessel was unseaworthy and that the defendants were negligent.  He brought his claims under the Jones Act.

Robichaux sought $5 million dollars in his lawsuit.  His damages included lost wages, medical expenses, pain, suffering, impairment and other related expenses. 

Read more about the case by clicking here.

Injured Offshore?

Have you been injured offshore?  If you are looking for an attorney to represent you, call the lawyers at Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C.   All the lawyers are board certified injury specialists with extensive knowledge regarding offshore injuries, the Jones Act, and maritime law.

To read more about the firm, visit its main website at www.vbattorneys.com or its dedicated maritime website at www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com.

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Tankerman was injured while using a crossover hose on a Grifco barge

Press Release - For immediate release - September 2007

Houston, Texas - A tankerman employed by Grifco Transportation, has brought claims of negligence, unseaworthiness, and for recovery of maintenance and cure against Grifco Transportation, a barge company based in Texas.  The claims are brought under the Jones Act and General Maritime Law.

The injured tankerman claims that he was severely manipulating a cross-over hose on one of Grifco's vessels.  Before being injured on the job, he was an able-bodied seaman with no significant prior injuries.  He is now completely unable to perform his duties as a tankerman and has lost wages, both past and future.  He has received surgery.

The tankerman hired Brian Beckcom and Vuk Vujasinovic at Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. to handle his Jones Act case.  Mr. Beckcom reports that "most maritime employers are good to their workers and treat safety as the most important part of any job.  However, unfortunately, some employers cut corners on safety and don't treat their workers right after they are injured." 

The case is pending in Neuces County, Corpus Christi, Texas.

About the firm

Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. is a full service personal injury law firm.  The firm handles cases in Texas and nationwide.  Because of its reputation for success, the firm is often hired by injured offshore workers and their families to handle serious injury and death cases.

You can read more about the law firm by clicking www.vbattorneys.com or by visiting their maritime website, www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com.

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Maritime Injury law & The Jones Act

Part 1 - The Jones Act

(Part 1 of a 5 Part Series on Maritime Injury and the Jones Act)

Offshore workers face particulary high risks of on-the-job-injury.  Seaman working offshore live a life that is completely different in many respects from those working onshore.  Seaman and offshore workers spends days, weeks, and even months at a time away from their families, away from medical help, and on the open ocean or other large bodies of water.

Fortunately, the law recognizes the special contributions, and special dangers, faced by maritime workers.

This is a brief discussion of the Jones Act and is the first in a five part series discussing maritime injuries and the Jones Act.

The Jones Act

The Jones Act permits injured seaman to seek money damages for on the job injuries.  As any seaman knows, working offshore can be very dangerous.  The Jones Act appreciates this fact, and Jones Act employers may be responsble for any negligence or unseaworthiness of their vessl.

Injured seamen also get maintenance and cure, which is payment for medical treatment and a small daily allowance for living expenses, even if there is no negligence, as a long as the injury occurred in the course and scope of the seaman's employment.

Injured seaman may recover past medical expenses, and future medical expenses, loss of income (both past and into the future), mental anguish, disfigurement, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and impairment.

Jones Act settlements can be very high.  However, without experienced, expert legal help, an injured Jones Act seaman may get messed around by his employer and not get a reasonable and fair settlement, or, indeed, any settlement at all.

About the Authoer

Brian Beckcom is a Houston-based attorney who is board certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  Mr. Beckcom and his firm handle serious personal injury and wrongful death cases in Texas and across the nation.  The firm has an active docket of maritime injury and death cases as well as Jones Act cases.  Mr. Beckcom is a recognized expert in Jones Act and maritime law cases.

To learn more about the firm, please visit the firm's main website at www.vbattorneys.com or its dedicated maritime and Jones Act website, www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com. 

Or call the firm toll free at 877.724.7800.  Mr. Beckcom gives free legal consultations to injured offshore workers.

 

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Press Release - For Immediate Release

Houston, Texas - September 9, 2007

The Houston-based law firm of Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. has been hired to represent a long-time worker of Diamond Offshore for claims of personal injury under the Jones Act. 

The claim alleges that the worker was exposed to extremely hazardous chemicals without any personal protective gear.   As a result, the worker is no longer able to work in the sun due to extreme photosensitivity.

About the Firm

Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. is a Houston-based law firm that handles serious personal injury and wrongful death cases in Houston, Texas and across the nation.  The firm has an active docket of maritime injury and death cases as well as Jones Act cases.

To learn more about the firm, please visit the firm's main website at www.vbattorneys.com or its dedicated maritime and Jones Act website, www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com. 

Or call the firm toll free at 877.724.7800.

 

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Press Release

Houston, Texas - August 15, 2007

The Houston, Texas based law firm Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. announce the publication of the firm's new, dedicated maritime law website, www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com. 

The website provides the latest information to injured offshore workers, injured seaman, people injured in offshore, and their families.  It provides free information about maritime injury law, the Jones Act, and other areas of interest to maritime workers.

Firm partner Brian Beckcom says that "we get a lot of calls from people injured offshore.  We wanted to provide a convenient website for people injured offshor