Offshore Oil Rigs – Page 2 – Offshore Injury Lawyer – Maritime Attorneys – Houston Maritime LawyersOffshore Injury Attorneys

May 2, 2014

Do I need an Offshore Injury Attorney?

If you have been injured while working on a freighter, an oil rig, or a barge, you may be wondering if you need an offshore injury attorney. The simple answer is yes. If your injury was enough to cause you to incur medical expenses and/or lost wages that your employer or their insurance company should be liable for, then it is time for you to consult with a maritime lawyer. Choosing a lawyer can be a very difficult and time consuming process and here at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, we offer a free case review so you can ask any questions and determine if we are the right fit for you.

Why Can’t I Use a Regular Attorney?

We hear this question a lot, especially from people who have a lawyer they have worked with in the past. The problem with using a traditional lawyer is this- accidents that happen offshore or on the open waters are subject to a different set of laws than those that happen on land. Because the governing laws are different, you need a qualified offshore injury attorney who understands the complex legalities that surround maritime accidents.

Why Kirkendall Dwyer LLP?

Why should you choose us? Because our experienced maritime lawyers know and understand your rights and are willing to help you fight to ensure that they are respected. We know what types of defenses to use and what types of damages you may be entitled to. You will find that we never charge an up-front fee for our services, and that money is only collected when you collect your settlement or award. If you are looking for a qualified offshore injury attorney to help you fight for your rights and for your compensation, choose Kirkendall Dwyer LLP. Contact us for a free case review today!

Apr 28, 2014

BP is back in the Gulf and a Texas City oil rig injury attorney can help workers

In 2010, following the catastrophic Deep Horizon oil spill, BP was temporarily banned from drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Now, 4 years later, the ban has been lifted, and BP has won its first contract, allowing the company to begin drilling off the coast of Louisiana. New oil rigs in the Gulf mean more employment for maritime workers in Texas. They also mean more workers may need to consult with a Texas City oil rig injury attorney.

BP has struck a deal with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to drop a pending lawsuit in exchange for the EPA allowing BP to begin bidding on new federal contracts again. BP has made moves to ensure that we won’t see a repeat of the 200-million-gallon spill from 4 years ago. However, this still means that workers considering taking on employment with BP should consider all of the potential consequences of working on any oil rig but especially one owned by a company with an accident-prone past.

If you’re concerned about what might happen in the event of an accident, you shouldn’t hesitate to talk to a Texas City oil rig injury attorney, like one of the attorneys at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, as soon as possible, as they are well-versed in maritime law and worker’s compensation.

If you’ve been in an accident on an oil rig, or you’re just curious about what that kind of scenario will look like if you’re ever unfortunate enough to be in one, you can talk to a Texas City oil rig attorney about equipment maintenance, safety procedures, proper training implementation, and other factors that your employer is responsible for. You can also talk to them about the right course of action for you and your family, should you be injured or killed in an accident.

Apr 24, 2014

An Offshore Injury Attorney can get you the compensation you deserve

If you work on an oil drilling rig, a fishing vessel, or a maritime shipping vessel, you already know that your job can be one of the most hazardous in the world. If an accident occurs while you’re offshore, you could be in real danger. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has open investigations of a large number of maritime accidents.

From vessels sinking due to engine fires to vessels colliding and sustaining minimal damage, these things happen every day. An offshore injury attorney can help workers hurt in an accident on their vessel.

Your employer is responsible for keeping the vessel you work on maintained and in good running order. Accidents do happen. Storms come up out of the blue. Well-maintained engines do sometimes catch fire and cause problems. However, if an accident occurs, and your employer is to blame for negligence, you should know your rights, especially if you’re injured during the accident.

An offshore injury attorney, like the ones at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, can help walk you through your rights and the best course of action if you’ve been involved in an accident at work. Not only are you entitled to worker’s compensation, but you may be covered by the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, otherwise known as the Jones Act.

That’s why it’s important to trust your accident case to an offshore injury attorney instead of a general personal injury attorney. In this kind of case, you’ll need to hire an attorney with experience in maritime law. You may be entitled to more compensation than you might think, especially if you’ve only spoken with your employer and/or their insurance company.

Insurance companies will always try to pay out as little as possible. They will attempt to convince you that you don’t need an attorney and that they’re giving you the best deal possible. Don’t ever hesitate to call a qualified attorney if you’ve been injured on the job.

Apr 18, 2014

A Jones Act attorney in Houston can help you

More oil drilling is going on in the Gulf of Mexico today than there was before the BP oil spill in 2010. This huge resurgence in domestic oil means a lot for American maritime employment. Not only do the oil rigs need more workers, but this means that more ships are going to be built in the US, which will also need more crewmembers. It looks like we’re about to see a huge boom in the maritime shipping business. That’s good news for you if you’re a maritime worker.

At the same time, with new employment opportunities and new ships being built in the US, as a maritime worker, you should probably go ahead and talk to a Jones Act attorney in Houston about what to do in case of an accident and how you’ll be covered.

The Jones Act protects American companies and maritime workers against international competition, and it has stipulations for recourse in the case of an accident while on the job, as well. That means that, if you get a job on a US-built and owned vessel, you could be covered in ways that you haven’t been before. No one wants an accident to happen, but it’s best to plan for the worst-case scenario.

You and your family should talk to a Jones Act attorney in Houston to understand what should be done in the case of your injury or death. You want to make sure that your family is taken care of, should the worst happen. A Jones Act attorney in Houston, like the ones at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, can help you understand the coverage you have by law and what kind of actions you might have to take in the future, if something happens while you’re on the job.

Apr 12, 2014

A Houston maritime lawyer can help in times of tragedy

Anytime an offshore worker is injured or killed while doing his or her job, it is a tragedy. These injuries are not uncommon, and in cases like the Seattle-based ALASKA OCEAN, accidents onboard the ship can even result in death. In the case of the ALASKA OCEAN, a welding job ignited acetylene gas, resulting in an explosion that killed a fisherman onboard the ship. While this particular case did not happen in Texas cases like this can and do happen in our area- and when they do, a Houston maritime lawyer can help.

Insurance companies are quick to jump in when injuries or accidents occur on fishing boats, oil rigs, and other offshore vessels. While a quick settlement might sound like a dream come true for families struggling to pay medical expenses without the income of the job the injured person performed, the settlements offered by insurance companies to individuals without proper legal representation are rarely enough to cover long-term costs, lost wages, mental anguish, and in wrongful death cases, funeral expenses. An experienced Houston maritime lawyer can be one of the best investments that an injured person can make following a boating or work-related accident that happened offshore.

Maritime law can be very complex, and an attorney who specializes in this area of law is highly recommended for cases of injury or wrongful death that occurred while offshore. A Houston maritime lawyer from Kirkendall Dwyer LLP will be happy to talk with you about your case and to help you understand the options available to you. We don’t collect any money until you receive a settlement or award, so you don’t have to worry about coming up with attorney’s fees while struggling to make ends meet. You focus on your recovery, and let us focus on helping you with your case.

Apr 8, 2014

A Galveston oil rig injury attorney works to help rig workers

In February of 2013, Cordell St. Julien was injured while removing rigging from a structure on the BP-owned oil rig where he was employed. St. Julien claims that he was injured due to inclement conditions. According to St. Julien, the water was too choppy that day, and waves were breaking over the rig, sloshing onto the floor where he was working, and creating a slippery surface.

St. Julien has filed a suit in the US Court in Texas against Hornbeck Offshore Services and BP, claiming that work should have been postponed until conditions were not hazardous to the safety of crewmembers. Unfortunately, this kind of situation is not that uncommon in almost any field. Employers are under pressure to make money. They often lose sight of anything but the bottom line, and that’s when injuries can happen. Consulting with a Galveston oil rig injury attorney can help you to know your rights.

St. Julien feels that he would have lost his job had he refused to perform this task on the day that he was told to. He also feels that the task should have been put off until it was safe to perform. Since the rig is owned and operated by US-based companies, and St. Julien is a US citizen, he’ll be covered under the Jones Act of 1920. A Galveston oil rig injury attorney will be able to walk him through all of his rights.

Workers should never have to choose between their jobs and their reasonable safety. While maritime work comes with its risks, a Galveston oil rig injury attorney, like the ones at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, can help you familiarize yourself with the risks that are expected of you and when you have recourse against unreasonable requests. They can also help you to know your rights in the case of an accident on the job.