Archive for May 2014
Our Attorneys Recover $800,000 for Injured Fisherman
After a stern ramp door crushed a fisherman’s leg, our firm was able to secure an $800,000 settlement for him. The accident happened while the door was being lowered to set out the fishing net. Due to the severity of his injuries, the 53-year-old was not able to return to work. His injuries were diagnosed…
Read MoreDeck Hand Dies After Fall from Ohio River Ferry
A fall overboard claimed the life of an 81-year-old deck hand, who died after falling off the ferry he was working on, according to Professional Mariner. The accident happened on the Ohio River in between Constance, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio. The 81 year old was a former ferry captain. He had to retire due to…
Read MoreCaptain Facing Unlicensed Operation Charges After Ship Sinks
Captain Facing Unlicensed Operation Charges After Ship Sinks According to a report in Professional Mariner magazine, the captain of a catamaran that capsized has been charged with operating without a license. There were 30 passengers onboard when the custom-built boat sank near downtown Miami. Prior to sinking, the catamaran began to take on water as…
Read MoreFirm Secures $307,500 Settlement for Boating Accident Victim
Our firm was able to secure a $307,500 settlement for a woman who was injured in a boating accident caused by the driver hitting multiple wakes at full speed. Prior to the incident, the woman, her best friend and several other passengers were riding in a vessel being operated by the defendant. They were returning…
Read MoreCoast Guard Rescues Couple After Boat Runs Aground
Coast Guard Rescues Couple After Boat Runs Aground TITUSVILLE, Fla. – The Coast Guard rescued two people Saturday near Mosquito Lagoon after their boat ran aground. Rescued were Dawn MaCain, 32, and James MaCain, 33, from Brevard County. The couple were rescued by a Coast Guard rescue boat crew from Station Cape Canaveral, Fla., and…
Read MoreCoast Guard Searches for Distressed Boaters in the Florida Keys
Coast Guard Searches for Distressed Boaters in the Florida Keys KEY WEST, Fla. – Coast Guard units are actively searching for a vessel and four people after receiving a call Sunday stating that they were in distress. Coast Guard Sector Key West search-and-rescue coordinators received the initial call at approximately 3:30 p.m. Sunday. The boater…
Read MoreIs My Family Safe on a Ferry?
When you take your family on a ferry, you entrust the owners and operators of the vessel with what matters most to you: the lives of your loved ones. This is a responsibility that should never be taken lightly. Unfortunately, not all ferry owners and operators take the necessary precautions to ensure their vessels are…
Read MoreTug-Barge Crewman Killed During Conveyor-Belt Maintenance
According to Professional Mariner magazine, a member of an articulated tug-barge (ATB) crew was killed while conducting conveyor-belt maintenance. The accident happened south of Ludington on Lake Michigan as a tugboat was guiding a barge from Muskegon to Charlevoix. The 37-year-old crewman was performing mechanical maintenance on the barge when he became entangled in the…
Read MoreOur Firm Recovers $1.5 Million for Injured Fisherman
Our maritime trial lawyers were able to recover $1.5 million in a settlement for a crewmember injured in a messenger line accident while working on a fishing boat. The crewman had just placed the messenger line over the starboard spreader bar when the accident happened. After the plaintiff put down the line, it went taut,…
Read MoreNew Apps Help Make Working on the Water Safer
A report in Professional Mariner revealed that new smartphone applications are helping make maritime workers jobs easier and safer. The MarineTraffic app is a smartphone application that allows the user to keep track of the positions of more than 80,000 vessels around the world on an interactive map, including the ability to see arrivals and…
Read MoreIs the Container Ship You Work on Safe?
You have the right to work in an environment where your safety is a priority. For seamen, container ships> are often their work environment, and while the law requires that these vessels be kept safe for workers, employers do not always make this their priority, including: Failing to follow federal regulations Improperly maintaining or repairing…
Read MoreOur Firm Secures a $775,000 Settlement for Scallop Boat Crewman
After a crewmember was injured on the F/V NASHIRA, a scallop boat, our nationwide maritime trial lawyers were able to secure a $775,000 settlement for him. The crewman was hurt during the evening while working on the deck of the ship. The incident that caused the man’s injuries began with a pile of scallops being…
Read MoreWrong Turn, Lack of Awareness Leads to Ferry Accident
According to Professional Mariner, while an inexperienced second mate was steering a ferry, a wrong turn led to a collision with a yacht. The accident happened at about 1:38 p.m. on September 13, 2013 near the intersection of the Harney and Upright channels in the San Juan Islands. [ubermenu-map address=”Harney Channel, Eastsound, WA” zoom=”14″ width=”375px”…
Read MoreIs It Safe For Tugboats and Pleasure Boats to Share the Water?
Whenever vessels share the water, it can produce dangerous results if one or both do not take the proper precautions, including: Never operating a vessel under the influence of drugs or alcohol; Completing any required training to operate a boat; Properly maintaining the vessel; Taking a boating safety course; Posting a lookout to watch for danger coming from any direction;…
Read MoreWater Taxi and Recreational Boat Collide, Leaving Three Hurt
A collision between a water taxi and a pleasure boat in Maine’s Casco Bay left three injured, according to Professional Mariner. The accident happened on September 7 off the southern quarter of the island of Fort Gorges around 10 p.m. The recreational boat was carrying two people and the water taxi was carrying seven, including…
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