The US Coast Guard said in a news release that it had to medically evacuate a 23-year-old fisherman on April 10 after he severed his middle finger while working with fishing gear on board the 52-foot F/V SEA SMOKE. The vessel was about 39 miles southeast of Montauk Point when the injury occurred, and a Coast Guard flight surgeon recommended that the man be transported off the vessel for immediate medical attention. The Coast Guard rescue helicopter transferred the man to Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport, New York, where he was reported to be alert and in stable condition. “With the help of our Coast Guard aircraft from Air Station Cape Cod, we were able to respond quickly and get the injured mariner the necessary medical attention,” Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Russell Wolfe said in the release.

The winches, capstans and other fishing equipment that seamen work with on a regular basis put maritime workers at tremendous risk of amputation injuries. Oftentimes, these injuries involve tremendous pain and suffering, with entire legs or arms having to be removed. The loss of a digit or an appendage is a traumatic experience that also significantly impacts an individual’s future earning capacity.

In many of these cases, an amputation is the result of negligence or unseaworthiness on the part of the vessel owner. Sometimes there was a lack of safety training for the crew, but there also may have been a lack of safety equipment, the equipment may have been poorly maintained or the equipment could have been defective. Latti & Anderson LLP has been representing injured seamen and their families for more than 50 years, and our record of multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements includes a $2.45 million settlement for a man who had a below knee leg amputation after a winch malfunctioned. Additionally, Latti & Anderson LLP recovered a $1.4 million settlement for a deckhand whose hand got pulled into a capstan.  Liability focused on the failure of the Defendant to properly train the deckhand as to operation of the capstan and that the controls of the capstan were not properly marked to indicated the direction the capstan would move.

You can learn more about the Jones Act by visiting our website. If you or a loved one suffered an amputation while working at sea, you could be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages and future treatment. Use the form located on this page to let our Jones Act lawyers review your case or contact our firm right now at (800) 392-6072 to set up an initial free consultation.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Jones Act attorneys