A 24-year-old fisherman, Donald Alversa was killed this past weekend when a vessel wire snapped and struck him on board a 90-foot vessel F/V JASON & DANIELLE.  The Coast Guard was notified immediately and it took an hour for an MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter to reach the vessel which was at the Outer Banks. After being transferred to a local hospital, the victim was confirmed dead. The Coast Guard is still investigating the incident. More than likely, the vessel owner and its insurance company will be also be investigating Mr. Alversa’s death.  It is important in this investigation to focus on why the line snapped, was it under a load and whether it was a proper load for the line to the condition and age of the line.  Additionally, the line should be preserved and at some point testing should be done on the line to determine whether there was any defect in the line.

A line that snaps on board a vessel is an unseaworthy piece of equipment.  Under the law, the family of Donald Alversa are entitled to damages for his death which include damages for his conscious pain and suffering to his lost of support to his wife and family. In a similar case, Latti & Anderson LLP fought to obtain the maximum insurance proceeds which included seizing a scallop boat and selling it an auction for a New Bedford fisherman who sustained a spinal cord injury when the chain that held the block parted causing the block to fall on him.

At Latti & Anderson, we understand the dangers fisherman face every day and how difficult it can be when a loved one is taken too soon due to another’s negligence or unseaworthiness of a vessel. We have represented many fisherman based from  fishing vessels from Montauk, Cape May, Point Pleasant and the North Carolina regions, and are here to help you through your difficult time. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury or died from a fishing accident or faulty equipment at sea, contact our maritime attorneys today for a free consultation.

Latti & Anderson LLP– Boston maritime trial lawyers