Onshore Maritime Accidents
Is This Shipping Port Putting Dock Workers at Risk?
A dock worker was seriously injured at Port Elizabeth in New Jersey. The worker’s tractor trailer, which is used to move shipping containers, was lifted six feet off of the dock by a shipping crane. The crane operator lifted the container while the vehicle was still attached and dropped the entire load to the ground.…
Read MoreHow Did a NJ Dockworker Lose His Hand?
According to NJ.com, a dockworker had his severed in an October accident at the APM Port Elizabeth container terminal. The dockworker, 49, of Paramus, was allegedly attempting to replace a hoist cable on the dock when it became wrapped around his arm and tightened. His hand was then severed from his arm and he was…
Read MoreMissing NJ Barge Worker’s Body Found
According to NJ.com, officials from the U.S. Coast Guard have confirmed that the body of a man recovered near Bayonne is that of a barge worker who fell into the water in Kill Van Kull in October. The worker was performing tasks at the Pier 1 of the International Matex Tank Terminal on October 16…
Read MoreRemains of Man Found Following Barge Accident
According to the Associated Press, the Arkansas state medical examiner has identified the remains of a man found in the Mississippi River as those of a worker who went missing last year when a barge capsized. The news outlet reported that officials were able to identify the man, who went missing in April 2014, after…
Read MoreMan Killed in Minnesota Dock Accident
According to the La Crosse Tribune, a Minnesota man died in an accident at a Winona city-owned dock on August 27. The dockworker, 23, was in the process of moving the cover of a docked barge when he fell 12 to 15 feet into a different empty barge, according to the news outlet. The incident…
Read MoreDockworker Allegedly Killed By Drunk Coworker
Updating a story we brought you recently, prosecutors in New Jersey have charged a man operating heavy equipment at a marine terminal in connection to his co-worker’s death. According to NJ.com, the man, 48, of North Arlington, was allegedly drunk when he was operating a toploader, killing the victim after it struck her on August…
Read MoreAre There Specific Laws Protecting Dockworkers and Longshoremen?
If you are a dockworker or longshoreman who has been injured or your loved one has been killed, you should know that you have very specific legal rights when it comes to obtaining compensation. Injured longshoremen, dockworkers and harbor workers have legal options under state or federal workers compensation law. For example, the Longshore Act…
Read MoreAlaska Longshoreman Dies in Equipment Accident
According to Alaska Dispatch News, a longshoreman working at the Port of Anchorage died in March after he was pinned between two pieces of equipment. The news source reported that the man was loading military equipment between rail cars on a Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE) ship when he got “pinched” on March 13. The…
Read MoreCan an Attorney Help an Injured Shipyard Worker?
Can an Attorney Help an Injured Shipyard Worker? Updating a blog post we brought you last Friday, the co-worker of a man killed in a Colonna’s Shipyard accident in Virginia says the victim had extensive experience using the construction equipment involved in his death. On March 30, rescue crews found 58-year-old Donald R. Thomas, of…
Read MoreCan Longshoremen File Third Party Claims?
Can Longshoremen File Third Party Claims? Did you know that longshoremen are entitled to damages when they are injured on the job? Aside from federal laws that protect dockworkers, there are ways that longshoremen can file third-party lawsuits following an injury accident. The laws can be confusing when it comes to obtaining money following a…
Read MoreIs It Safe to Use a Forklift While Working in a Cargo Hold?
The process of loading and unloading ships is known as stevedoring, and those who load and unload ships are known as stevedores, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Recently, a stevedore was injured in a forklift accident at the Alabama State Docks while in the cargo hold of a vessel. According to WFNA-TV, the incident happened…
Read MoreDoes Maritime Law Apply If I’m Hurt on Land Near the Water?
The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act is a form of workers’ comp that provides those who are not members of a vessel crew with compensation if they are injured while working on or near the water, including: Damages for lost body parts Death benefits for surviving dependents Two-thirds of the worker’s average weekly wage…
Read MoreDoes My Employer Have to Keep the Shipyard I Work in Safe?
As maritime trial lawyer David Anderson explains in the video above, the Longshore Act provides workers’ compensation benefits for injured workers who are not members of a vessel crew, including: Dockworkers Harbor workers Longshoremen Recently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) came down on a Norfolk, Virginia shipyard, citing multiple safety violations, according to…
Read MoreCould My Car Fall Off a Ferry Dock?
Could My Car Fall Off a Ferry Dock? According to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) website, the auto capacity of the state’s Olympic Class ferries is 144 vehicles. In a tragic incident, ferry service in Southworth, Washington had to be halted recently after a fatal accident involving an SUV driving off a ferry…
Read MoreAm I at Risk of Inert Gas Suffocation in an Enclosed Space?
Am I at Risk of Inert Gas Suffocation in an Enclosed Space? Inert gases like argon don’t do much, which is why they are so useful in manual labor, like welding, where the work has to be performed in a non-combustible atmosphere to prevent fires or, worse, explosions, but while argon can make the work environment…
Read MoreDid a Lack of Employee Training Cause an On-Site Explosion?
Recently, a towing vessel anchored next to two Kirby barges at the Oil Recovery Company Gas Freeing Terminal (ORC), unaware that the barges were being cleared of residual diesel, sparked a fire that spread to the barges and finally resulted in explosions. Three sustained serious burn injuries. How Did This Explosion Happen at an ORC…
Read MoreWho Can I Sue If I Slipped and Fell on a Dock?
For maritime workers, boarding and disembarking a vessel is almost second nature. In some instance, gangways and ladders will provided to the crew to go back and forth between the vessel; but in many instances no means is provided to the crew. Under maritime law, vessel owners are required to provide workers with a reasonably safe…
Read MoreWhat If I Am Hurt in a Shipyard Accident?
Not all maritime injuries are suffered out at sea. Many are the result of onshore maritime accidents involving land-based workers, such as dockworkers and shipbuilders, injured on or right next to navigable waters. Such incidents, as maritime trial lawyer David Anderson explains in the video below, fall under a type of workers’ compensation known as…
Read MoreFamily of Worker Killed in Barge Accident Files Lawsuit
Last month, we told you about a barge accident that claimed the life of a construction worker while he was working on Baylor University’s new football stadium. Now, the family of the construction worker has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baylor as well as the construction and equipment companies involved. The January 28 accident…
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