Commercial Fishing Accidents – Page 5 – Offshore Injury Lawyer – Maritime Attorneys – Houston Maritime LawyersOffshore Injury Attorneys

Feb 18, 2014

Do not wait to contact a Maritime Injury Attorney

We all know the phrase: “time is of the essence”. It is something that applies to lots of things, but it is particularly true if you are someone injured in a maritime accident. This is because you may have a legal case to pursue, but only if you are in possession of all of the “facts” relating to the incident.

Fortunately, you can hire a maritime injury attorney to review the facts and even gather further data to create the most accurate portrait of the incident. Your maritime injury attorney can also help you to determine if you have a valid claim under established maritime law. Of course, the primary determinant in a claim is whether there was negligence at work in the incident. If so, then your maritime injury attorney will advise you of your options.

Consider that even your family will benefit from consulting with such an attorney if you are killed or grievously injured in such an accident. However, you need to know just where to go and who to consult. Fortunately, there is Kirkendall Dwyer LLP. This firm has expertise in maritime law cases and offers a team of experts who will advise and guide you in the right direction.

The team at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP will meet with you or your family and review just what happened. If they recognize a viable case, they can then work with you and your family to pursue any and all compensation or recompense required by the laws. Whether you need to claim lost wages or you need a much broader range of reparations that might include medical care, benefits, and more, they can help you understand what is possible. The first step is to get in touch with them as soon as possible after an accident.

Jan 18, 2014

Maritime Attorney Called in to Deal with Sailors Stranded for Three Months

Though you may be most familiar with maritime attorneys who represent sailors or those who own or operate vessels, they handle a much wider spectrum of duties. For example, just this month in South Africa, one such attorney, Alan Goldberg, arrested 7 ships’ worth of sailors on behalf of the country’s International Transport Workers Federation.

The 75 fishermen were found guilty of illegal fishing by South Africa’s Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department. As such, they had not been allowed off their vessels for the past three months. Finally, the fishermen, who were mostly from Indonesia, were formally brought to the Lindela Repatriation Centre located in Krugerdorp.

The case received national attention because of the conditions the illegal immigrants on board were left to deal with. It was not long before food ran out, supplies ran short, and sanitary needs became a priority.

Fortunately for the sailors, a woman named Mariam Augustus heard of their dire straits and began seeing to their needs. Along with her husband, Cassiem, she cooked meals for the 75 sailors, saw to their laundry needs and even got medical care for those who had fallen ill. Cassiem and Mariam were also aided by Nakhilstan, a group dedicated to feeding the needy.

Interestingly, Cassiem also works for the International Transport Workers Federation, the same group who sent the attorney, Goldberg, to seize control of the ships. As of December 2, Mr. Goldberg had been able to secure control of 3 of the ships with designs to do the same for the remaining 4. The plan is to hold the ships as collateral until the debt for illegal fishing is paid.

This is a good example of the wide range of cases maritime attorneys can hear. Maritime attorneys often hear cases involving crews from other countries with interests counter to that of our own. Though Kirkendall Dwyer LLP handles personal injury, it’s easy to see how a situation like the above could have resulted in that type of lawsuit.

Jan 13, 2014

Ship Sinking? Crew Members Should Call A Houston Jones Act Lawyer

For maritime workers, there is no simple task. Every objective they have is connected to the lives of everyone else onboard. Of course, this works both ways. More often than not, a maritime worker is put in jeopardy because of the actions of their fellow crewmembers or even their employer. These events serve to highlight the value of a Jones Act lawyer in Houston.

One such case happened recently off the coast of the Solomon Islands. On December 18^th, a ferry left port to transport 390 people over the water. The problem? The Francis Gerena was only licensed to carry 80. It didn’t take long for the added weight to take effect. When the ferry’s pump failed, the ship began sinking.

At this time, all we know is the ferry was carrying far too many people and hadn’t been cleared to leave the harbor. But someone made a decision and as a result nearly 400 people were put at risk. Thankfully, everyone survived.

A qualified Jones Act lawyer in Houston would look at a situation like this and know their client was due for compensation if they had been injured. If the captain of the ferry made the decision to leave port, the Jones Act demands that crewmembers not be held responsible for others’ negligence. Had the pump failed for some other reason, a Jones Act lawyer in Houston would look to see if the owner of the ship was responsible for operating the vessel without proper equipment onboard.

In any case, maritime workers must have proper representation if they hope to get what they’re due under the Jones Act. A law firm like Kirkendall Dwyer LLP is a great option for maritime workers in Houston. While every incident is different, they can provide the kind of representation a crew member needs.

Jan 12, 2014

How the Jones Act and the Right Texas Maritime Lawyer Keep You Protected

In 1920, the Jones Act was passed in an effort to both protect American workers from international competition and secure for them a safe workplace. In the event that a safe workplace is not provided, the Jones Act seeks to provide maritime employees with the compensation they deserve.

So long as the accident that left you injured wasn’t a result of your own actions, the Jones Act can provide significant financial support. This means all of your medical bills related to the accident will be covered. Furthermore, you must be provided with a certain amount of money that will help cover your day-to-day living expenses.

Though you are entitled to that support, it’s still a good idea to hire a Texas maritime lawyer who can review your case and make sure you’re getting everything you deserve.

For example, you should be able to recoup past wage lost, as well as any you will incur in the future. Besides getting all the relevant medical expenses covered, you can also be compensated for what’s called “pain and suffering”, which are the intangible effects from the injury.

It’s possible, too, that your employer was in some way responsible for your accident. The right Texas maritime lawyer will work to investigate if this is the case and, if so, prove as much. By doing so, you will be entitled to even more money for the neglect of your employer, which essentially enabled the accident to happen.

When you think about the long-term effects an injury can cause, it becomes readily apparent that proper representation is a necessity. Some injuries may not take you out of gainful employment for life, but they can easily keep you from earning as much you otherwise would have. A Texas maritime lawyer from a firm like Kirkendall Dwyer LLP could provide you the help you need to make sure you are fully compensated for the rest of your life.

Jan 11, 2014

New Claim Regarding Triumph Illustrates Importance of Hiring an Offshore Injury Attorney

Everyone remembers back in March of 2012 when the Carnival Cruise’s Triumph caught fire, endangering the lives of everyone on board. Investigations concluded that the fire was caused by leaking fuel lines that made fire inevitable.

However, a new investigation has turned things on their head. The Associated Press recently published an article that states Carnival Cruise was well aware of the problem long before Triumph ever left for that last, ill-fated journey.

The article cites actual testimony from the captain’s deposition wherein he makes the claims himself. As evidence, he points to spray guards that were haphazardly installed on the engine as a defense against possible fuel leaks.

Among other things, such actions would be in direct violation of the International Maritime Organization’s Safety of Life at Sea recommendations. Of course, that pales in comparison to the near 4,000 lives that could have been lost if matters had gotten worse.

It’s tough to imagine a company taking such risks with their own property, much less the lives on board. But, if the article is to be believed, it proves that, unfortunately, greed takes precedence over moral judgment sometimes. This is why every maritime worker needs an offshore injury attorney on call. While an event like this is hopefully in the minority, Kirkendall Dwyer LLP can handle all matter of incidents.

Thanks to the Jones Act, a maritime worker can seek compensation from their employer if they’re injured because of a coworker’s mistakes. Obviously, if the employer themselves are the culprits, this is equally the case. But in order to get what they deserve, workers need an offshore injury attorney who will represent them and their best interests. An offshore injury attorney from Kirkendall Dwyer LLP can further explain the intricacies of a particular case and seek to secure all the compensation a worker deserves.

Jan 8, 2014

Ferry Crash in Hong Kong Shows Importance of Good Offshore Injury Lawyer

Although ferries aren’t generally considered to be rather fast vessels, a high-speed Chinese version was going at about 30 to 40 nautical miles recently, when it hit an unidentified object.

The ferry had left Hong Kong and was destined for Macau on the morning of November 29^th. After roughly 15 minutes at sea, the accident occurred. Fortunately, Hong Kong’s Marine Department reported that all 105 of the passengers aboard and all 10 crew members had been accounted for. Nonetheless, 85 people aboard did sustain injuries; 6 of them were said to be serious. Despite the damage sustained, the ferry was able to return to its port after inspection.

This goes to show the importance of having an offshore injury lawyer for representation. Any of those 10 maritime workers aboard could have a case against their employer. Had this happened off the coast of America, the Jones Act would secure compensation for any of the injured workers, so long as they could prove the accident wasn’t their fault. Again, this is a job best left to a qualified offshore injury lawyer.

Having reputable representation is great, but knowing your rights and how to respond in the wake of an accident is equally important. Call Kirkendall Dwyer LLP today if you have any questions regarding these matters.

Ferry workers may think they aren’t susceptible to serious accidents, but this case shows otherwise. In fact, last October, this very same port witnessed two ferries collide. 39 were left dead. Here in America, a ferry just ran aground this week, though fortunately no one was hurt.

No matter what kind of vessel you work on, have the contact information for an offshore injury lawyer like those at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP on you at all times. Hopefully these stories help illustrate that no ship is accident proof.