houston maritme lawyer – Offshore Injury Lawyer – Maritime Attorneys – Houston Maritime LawyersOffshore Injury Attorneys

Aug 2, 2013

Corrosion Dropped Thomson Majesty Lifeboat

Hopefully, you’ll never have to get into a life boat or find yourself in a situation where you need to leave the safety of the main vessel. However, there are times where an issue arises and there really is nothing else you can do. When climbing into the lifeboat and having it lowered to sea doesn’t mean you should find yourself in greater danger, but with recent corrosion issues with the Thomson Majesty, you need to know your rights. Recently, the Malta Maritime Safety Investigation Unit released a safety alert due to failing wires that hold up the lifeboat when it is being lowered into the water. Due to corrosion and other maintenance issues, the wire is likely to snap and give way, resulting in either one end of the lifeboat dropping towards the water or the entire boat dropping down dozens of feet to the water below. This greatly increases your chance of injury, as your body either comes in contact with the water, the life boat or the vessel you are leaving. There are many different issues that might arise, but you need to utilize the assistance of a maritime injury lawyer, should you find yourself in such a situation.

It is important for you to know your rights and to protect yourself. If you are even involved in an accident in which you are injured at sea or on the water due to neglect or maintenance issues from the lifeboats, you need to seek out the professional assistance of a maritime injury lawyer. You are going to hear a lot from other injury lawyers who say they can protect you the most and offer the best services, but the fact of the matter is you need to have the help from a lawyer who has experience with the given issue and the kind of law, as maritime law is unique. The maritime lawyer is going to assist you through every instance and aspect of the situation, so you always know you are protected.

Aug 1, 2013

Maritime Injury Attorney

On shore and off shore, occupational accidentals can happen no matter the location or the planning and expertise of the crews involved. Maritime accidents require special legal attention because they often occur in waters floating on the boundaries between the accident victim’s home country and international jurisdiction. In the majority of accident causes, it is the job of the hired maritime accident attorney to “reel in” the scope of an individual accident case and process it through the district jurisdiction which is most likely involved. Most districts will try to dismiss sea-borne lawsuits and injury claims, but a maritime accident attorney will fight for any fisherman, oil rigger, contractor and seaman who earns his living on the water.

In every maritime lawyer’s mind is the case of the 1988 accident on the Norwegian oil rig known as Piper Alpha. All systems and personnel protocols were in standard working order until the unforeseen happened. Many lives were lost and international maritime safety standards for workers, contractors and international trades people came under immediate review. Families were shortchanged because of the litigation surrounding this tragedy, but this type of maritime justice never has to happen again.

The conference organized in Norwegian waters at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Center will be a spectacular multi-industry representative focus on the safety steps which can be taken on off shore oil rigs, fishing boats and commodities transports. This UK-based conference is bound to address some of the most important issues facing nations with high seas trade and shipping interests. The Piper Alpha accident will be of particular note and focus for all envoys attending the conference. New safety and personnel protocols will be introduced and proposed which will certainly highlight some of the most pressing and under addressed issues in international maritime law.

Jul 31, 2013

Hijacked Ship Sinks

Life at sea can be tough. Rugged waters, arduous work schedules and long periods away from the family all make sea duty difficult. Most sailors enjoy the life, nevertheless, because of the adventure, travel, and pay. These people, full of wanderlust, often forget the possible dangers. One crew became sadly aware of the omnipresent threat of piracy on the high seas in late 2010. On November 26, 2010, the Albedo, a ship sailing under a Malaysian registry, came under attack while sailing 900 miles off the coast of Mogadishu, Somalia. Pirates overtook the crew of 23 sailors, with the expressed intent of holding the men for ransom. The ship remained seized and in possession of pirates, in waters near Somalia, until July 7, 2013, when it sank.

Negotiations

The men held captive suffered through over two-and-half years of anguish. Pirates raid vessels for profit. In this case, the monetary reward was ransom, payable by the company or family. Enrich Shipping owned and operated the Albedo but refused to pay the millions of dollars required to secure its release. Paying the ransom was beyond the means of the company, officials declared on various occasions. This reality meant the families of the captives had to locate a maritime attorney to help negotiate a feasible ransom. After paying $1.2 million to the pirates, families gained the release of seven crewmembers. This July 2012 release left an estimated 15 of the crew onboard, as one person died earlier.

Sinking

The final scene of this saga occurred almost a year later on July 7, 2013, when the Albedo sank after months of taking in seawater. Sources confirm the remains of four of the captives. Meanwhile, the European Union Naval Force and Maritime Patrol continues searching for survivors. The families surely want a conclusion to this whole affair. More than likely, a skillful maritime attorney will now sift through the evidence and paperwork to ascertain the culpability in these deaths. It is not certain just whose negligence contributed to this situation. This type of incident is why speaking with a maritime attorney is important.