Jones Act – Page 2 – Offshore Injury Lawyer – Maritime Attorneys – Houston Maritime LawyersOffshore Injury Attorneys

May 14, 2014Oct 8, 2015

Receiving guidance from the right Maritime Injury Attorney is critical

Have you been injured or has a loved one been killed in an accident that falls under maritime law? If so, seeking the guidance of the right maritime injury attorney is critical. Here at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, we offer a free case review so that we can go over the specifics of your injury or claim and let you know what we can do to help as well as to answer any and all questions that you may have about our services, the way we collect payment, or your case.

An experienced maritime injury attorney will be able to tell you if your case qualifies under the Jones Act law or other maritime laws. They will have the experience needed to help you even if you were injured in foreign waters or if you lost a loved one due to the negligence or recklessness of their employer or co-workers. Experience matters when it comes to maritime law and when it comes to negotiating with insurance companies to get injured workers and their families the compensation to which they are entitled under maritime law.

Trying to battle insurance companies without the guidance of an experienced maritime injury attorney is never recommended. Insurance companies will see you as underrepresented and an easy target and will likely offer you a settlement that neglects things like emotional and psychological trauma, lost future wages, career advancement losses, and other damages to which you are likely entitled. You don’t want to go to court on your own or to handle your own negotiations, and we don’t want you to. At Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, we can provide you a free consultation and we don’t collect any money until you do, so you don’t have to worry about paying up-front attorney’s fees while you are focused on healing and recovering.

May 12, 2014Oct 8, 2015

Maritime collisions still happen and a Houston maritime attorney can help

These days, you hardly ever hear of maritime vessels colliding. Much like the way the FAA and air traffic control systems work to keep airplanes from colliding midair, there are multiple measures in place with maritime vessels to keep them from colliding, such as radio and radar. When a collision does occur, crewmembers based out of Texas should be prepared with the contact information for a Houston Maritime Attorney.

On May 2, 2012, one of these rare collisions took place between an oil tanker and a mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU). The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the collision was most likely caused by a failure in the tanker’s main propulsion engine. No crewmembers were injured on either vessel, but the combined damage was estimated at $16-17 million.

If you’re a crewmember on a maritime vessel, it’s important that you know your rights. If you’re involved in an accident, you could be seriously injured, preventing you from working for some time, or your employer could attempt to fire you for misconduct. If you know that the accident occurred through no fault of your own, you need to call a Houston Maritime Attorney immediately.

If the insurance companies involved in handling the case of the tanker and MODU collision had determined that the engine failure was due to poor maintenance, no fault could be found with the crewmembers on board. If someone had been injured, he or she would have had the right to worker’s compensation.

Unfortunately, employers and insurance companies don’t always have the best intentions. That’s why calling a Houston Maritime Attorney, like the ones at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, is usually the best course of action. Even if you haven’t been in an accident, you should get the contact information for a qualified attorney. When you work in a dangerous field, you need to take precautions for yourself and your family.

May 10, 2014

A Baytown oil rig attorney can help when there’s an oil rig accident

Four years ago, the world watched 200 million gallons of oil leak out of a BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. For a time, no one wanted to drill. Being linked to the potential to do that much harm to the environment would be catastrophic. Local BP filling stations put up signs reminding shoppers that the stores were owned by local businessmen and women, asking them not to boycott the corporation.

Now, though, the industry is booming. There are more active oil rigs in the Gulf than there were before that terrible accident occurred. With so many new rigs, business is up, and new employment opportunities are presenting themselves to maritime workers in Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, and Florida. For Maritime workers in Texas, it might be a good idea to talk with a Baytown oil rig injury attorney.

Whether you’ve worked on a drilling rig before or not, you’re probably familiar with some of the accidents and injuries that can occur while on the job. This is a potentially hazardous field of employment. Common injuries include burns from exposure to flaming oil or gas, amputations from malfunctioning equipment, and injuries from exposure to toxic fumes, among others.

If you’ve been in an accident on the job, or you just want to know more about your rights as a maritime worker, a Baytown oil rig injury attorney – like the ones at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP – may be able to answer some questions for you. If an accident is caused by negligence on the part of your employer, then you’ll be due a fair amount of worker’s compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you work on a drilling rig and have been in an accident, a Baytown oil rig injury attorney can help you.

May 8, 2014

Is your Freeport oil rig injury attorney experienced with the Jones Act?

If you have been injured while working on an oil rig, your injuries are likely covered under the Jones Act. Were you hurt due to the negligence or recklessness of your employer or a co-worker? Was a safety statute violated that led to your being injured? Were you injured due to inadequate training, inadequate instruction, too few crew members, or unsafe or inadequate equipment? If any of this is true for you, and your injury occurred while working offshore on an oil rig, contact a Freeport oil rig injury attorney from Kirkendall Dwyer LLP today to learn how you are protected under the Jones Act.

The Jones Act was put into place to protect seamen from injuries and to ensure their rights in the event of an injury. While there are a number of legal nuances to the Jones Act, it states that you have the right to adequate medical care from a competent physician. It also affords you many other rights as an injured seaman. An experienced Freeport oil rig injury attorney will be well-versed in Jones Act law and will be able to help ensure that you do not accept a settlement for less than you are entitled to.

When you choose a Freeport oil rig injury attorney from Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, you will find that there are many types of damage that the Jones Act can entitle an injured seaman to, including past and future lost wages including promotions and upward career movement, past and future pain and suffering, mental and psychological suffering, fringe benefits such as insurance, retirement, and meals, vocational and occupational retraining, and disfigurement. Your attorney will help you determine which types of damages are applicable to your case. To learn more, or for a free case review, contact Kirkendall Dwyer LLP and speak with one of our attorneys today!

May 6, 2014

Injured? Contact a Texas City oil rig injury attorney today

Have you been injured in the line of duty while working on an oil rig? Has someone else’s recklessness or negligence caused you to be hurt? Perhaps there was inadequate training or equipment or there were an inadequate number of crew members for the task at hand. Whatever the case, if you have been injured on an oil rig and it was the fault of someone else, you are protected under a part of maritime law known as the Jones Act. A Texas City oil rig injury attorney can help you better understand.

The Jones Act is an important part of maritime law that protects seamen against injuries and wrongful death. Jones Act claims are very valuable, because they provide rights beyond worker’s compensation, including past and future pain and suffering as well as past and future lost wages (including career advancement). Other damages afforded by the Jones Act include mental suffering and anguish, occupational and vocational retraining, disfigurement, and fringe benefits. With a qualified Texas City oil rig injury attorney, you can help combat any defenses used by your employer to avoid paying on your Jones Act claim.

If you have been injured or if a loved one has lost their life due to an oil rig injury, contact a Texas City oil rig injury attorney with Kirkendall Dwyer LLP today. We provide free case reviews before we agree to take on your case so that we can learn how we can help you and so we can answer any questions you might have. You will also find that we do not collect our fees in advance. Instead, we don’t get paid until you do. We collect our fees when you receive an award or settlement. If you have been injured on an oil rig, contact us right away and let us fight for you!

May 4, 2014

If a storm is brewing a Jones Act Attorney in Houston can help

Tragedy befell the crew of the tall ship Bounty on October 29, 2012. While attempting to maneuver through an area forecasted to be hit by Hurricane Sandy, off Cape Hatteras, the vessel was hit by the storm and sank. Of the sixteen crewmembers, three were seriously hurt. One crewmember was killed, and the captain’s body was never found.

If you or one of your loved ones is an active crewmember on any kind of boat or ship, you know how dangerous this line of work can be. Your life depends not only on your skills and the proper maintenance of the vessel on which you work, but also on fair weather. When a storm like this arises, a lot of questions come up. A Jones Act attorney in Houston can help you navigate the rough legal waters of fault and compensation.

The Jones Act, or Merchant Marine Act of 1920, was put into place to protect US trade against foreign competition. However, that’s not all it does. It also protects US seamen in cases of accidents caused by negligence, poor maintenance practices, and other forms of malpractice on their employers’ parts.

In a case like the sinking of the Bounty, under this act, every essential crewmember would be considered a “seaman” and would be protected. If you live in Texas, and you work as a crewmember on any maritime vessel, you could benefit from talking with a Jones Act attorney in Houston. You should know your rights before an accident happens.

The attorneys at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP are well versed in maritime law and the extent to which the Jones Act can help you in an accident. Call them today, and you’ll be prepared if you’re ever in an accident while you’re on the job.