A Maritime injury attorney could help after an on-the-job accident

Crewmembers on barges and other maritime vessels may not think that they’ll ever have to hire a maritime injury attorney. Unfortunately, when an accident happens, your employer and the insurance companies involved may not have your best interest in mind. Take, for example, an accident on the Mississippi River a couple of years ago.

At about 5:00 PM on June 9, 2012, the Marguerite L. Terral was towing 12 empty barges down the Mississippi River in the vicinity of Hickman, Kentucky. Just a few minutes later, a fire broke out in the port engine. The 6 crewmembers on board weren’t able to extinguish the fire before they had to evacuate the Marguerite L. Terral and the barges it was pushing.

Fortunately, no one was injured in the fire, and the accident did not cause any pollution to the river or the surrounding area. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the accident, but could not determine the cause of the accident, which had caused about $2.6 million of damage to the towing vessel.

According to NTSB – though the exact cause of the accident couldn’t be determined – the crewmembers’ inability to contain the fire, shut off ventilation, and effectively put the flames out with onboard fire suppression equipment contributed to the damage. This statement, alone, is reason to hire a maritime injury attorney.

The NTSB’s conclusions (as inconclusive as they may be) point to the crew being at fault for the extent of damage done by the accident. Their employer could very well terminate their employment, based on this accident.

Hiring a maritime injury attorney, like those employed at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, could be the crewmembers’ only hope of recompense if they are wrongfully fired or suspended. If this fire was caused by a lack of maintenance, they may even be owed worker’s compensation for the trauma and danger involved in dealing with this emergency, trying to put out the flames, and evacuating the other barges.

A League City maritime lawyer can explain the changing Cruise Ship Regulations

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) may be changing the way that the luxury cruise industry works for good. The NTSB will be holding a two-day conference to discuss and propose changes to regulations and legislation on cruise ship safety. This is good news for both passengers and crewmembers of these ships, as any League City maritime lawyer can tell you.

The past few years have been pretty bad for cruise liners’ reputations. Accidents have been piling up, with and without injuries and even fatalities. This industry is one that spans the world and is therefore a bit difficult to regulate. However, the NTSB is determined to bring more regulation into place to ensure passenger and crew safety onboard all cruise ships operating out of the United States.

The Jones Act of 1920 added special legislation to protect American seamen (both male and female) in case of an employer’s poor conduct or an accident. The NTSB may be in the process of passing regulations that will extend these protections to crews and passengers of cruise ships.

The law is not altogether fluid, but legislation and regulation do change. That’s why it’s important, if you’re involved in a maritime accident, to call a League City maritime lawyer for advice and counsel. Whether you’re a worker or a passenger, you should know your rights under the current laws, and that’s where a League City maritime lawyer can help you.

If you’ve been involved in a maritime accident, it’s important to determine who was at fault and what your course of action should be. You can’t always just listen to your employer or the insurance company covering the accident. Qualified attorneys, like those at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, can help you navigate through this difficult time.

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.

A Houston maritime lawyer will fight for your rights

Did you know that accidents and injuries that happen offshore are subject to a completely different set of laws than accidents and injuries occurring on U.S. soil?  Maritime law is a very complex form of law governing incidents that happen in open waters. Many injuries fall under maritime law, including offshore drilling accidents, tug and fishing boat accidents, and seaman injury cases. If you or a loved one have been injured in an offshore accident, contact a Houston maritime lawyer today who is willing to help you understand and fight for your rights.

Knowing your rights is always important, and it can be downright critical when negotiating with your employer or an insurance company to ensure that you receive the care and damages you deserve. As the victim of a maritime accident, you have the right to medical treatment, rehab, compensation for pain and suffering and also for lost past and future wages. For seamen who become injured or ill while serving on their vessel, there is also the right to free medical care, shelter, food, and much more. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of their rights under maritime law and end up entering into settlements that negate their entitlement. This is why a qualified Houston maritime lawyer is so important.

Here at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, we can help you find the right Houston maritime lawyer for your case. We will provide you with a free case review, where we will go over the details of your accident or injury and work to answer any questions that you may have about us or about your case. You will find that we do not charge until you receive a settlement or award, so you don’t have to worry about making a payment up front. If you or a loved one have been injured offshore, make sure you hire an attorney who is willing to fight for your rights.

A Houston maritime lawyer can navigate you through insurance claims

On March 10, 2012, a fishing vessel was attempting to return to its homeport at Newport, Oregon. Large waves broke over the stern of the ship, causing it to lose maneuverability. The vessel was run aground, and the crewmembers were airlifted by the Coast Guard. The fishing vessel broke apart and was lost a day later.

This accident illustrates just how quickly things can go wrong for maritime vessels. If you work on a ship, oil rig, or other vessel, you should keep the contact information available for a Houston maritime lawyer. Fortunately, in the case of the fishing vessel that was lost off the coast of Oregon, no one was injured. However, there was an estimated total of $625,000 in losses from the destroyed ship.

Whether you’re a crewmember, a ship owner, or you deal in fishing, shipping, or another maritime industry, a Houston maritime lawyer can help you understand your rights in a case like this, or any other type of accident. In this case, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the accident was caused by a series of large breaking waves. Nothing really could have been done to prevent it, so no one was considered at fault.

The vessel and its crewmembers should have been covered under the ship owner’s insurance. However, insurance companies will often attempt to pay out as little as possible. That’s why, if you’re a crewmember, owner, or employer based out of Texas, it’s important to know a Houston maritime lawyer to help you in case of an accident.

When you call for maritime law services, the attorneys at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP can consult with you about your case, courses of action in the event of accidents, and any other questions you might have about maritime law and your business.

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.