On Dec. 27, 2011, tugboat captain Patrick Warga, 46, of Bainbridge Island, Wash., died from injuries he suffered during a Christmas morning mugging in Tampico, Mexico. Warga was an employee of Seattle-based Foss Maritime whose work had taken him to the Tampico region. He died in a San Diego hospital surrounded by his family, leaving behind a wife and three children.

According to the Bainbridge Island Review, Warga and a shipmate wanted to visit a church on Christmas Eve, so they left their boat and found one in Tampico. When they were unable to get a cab back to their boat, they decided to stay at a hotel for the night. Warga’s shipmate could not locate him the next morning, and Warga was later found at a local hospital with severe injuries. According to a Tampico newspaper, Warga’s attacker beat him over the head with a rock, and the Bainbridge Island Review reports that he slipped into a coma before being airlifted to San Diego. Mexican authorities arrested 20-year-old Jose Ignacio Espinosa Perez the morning after the deadly attack.

Maritime workers assaulted during the course of their employment may be entitled to compensation for their injuries. A maritime attorney can review the facts of the case and determine if the beaten worker may have a claim against his or her employer or another party. When an on-the-job attack proves fatal, a maritime attorney can help the victim’s family understand their legal rights and pursue a claim against any parties who may be liable.

Have you been the victim of an on-the-job maritime assault? Latti & Anderson LLP has the experience and has handled numerous assault cases through the years. Contact a Boston maritime attorney today to have your case evaluated by an experienced legal professional who specializes in maritime law and knows how to protect your rights.

Latti & Anderson LLP –Boston maritime trial lawyers