Shipyard Accidents and Injuries
Shipyards are hectic work places filled with accidents waiting to happen, as workers repair and overhaul ships and in some cases, dismantle and scrap obsolete vessels. Shipyard workers perform essential jobs to keep commercial fleets afloat. The tasks, however, can be physically punishing and workers are susceptible to a range of serious accidents that can result in musculoskeletal injuries, head injuries, back injuries, damaged nerves, amputated limbs, fall injuries and injuries from exposure hazardous materials.
If you have been injured while working in a shipyard, contact our experienced maritime injury lawyers today about your maritime accident. Regardless of whether you are a shipyard worker, a dock worker, a longshoreman or a harbor worker, you have certain rights and benefits when you are injured or fall ill in a maritime-related job. Our maritime lawyers can explain how much compensation you and your family are entitled to for medical bills, lost wages, living expenses and other expenses. At Arnold & Itkin LLP, we understand the complexities and legalities of maritime law. Our aggressive shipyard injury attorneys stand up for shipyard workers who have suffered injuries on the job.
About the Types of Shipyard Worker Injuries
The repair and refitting of ships involves welding, grinding and torch cutting. Pipefitters piece together sections of pipe then weld them into place. Welding poses a danger of explosions and serious burns. Welding, painting and other activities may involve working in a confined space where the lack of ventilation can allow flammable vapors and toxic fumes to accumulate. Without adequate air monitoring, toxic vapors can overcome workers and a spark can ignite flammable fumes, causing a flash fire. Nearly 100 people die each year in confined space incidents.
Welders and pipefitters often work on elevated ledges or on ladders, where falls pose a serious hazard. Seventy percent of falls result from the failures of ladders and scaffolds, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Ship breakers use reciprocating saws and torches to dismantle sections of a vessel such as bulkheads, steel decking, cabins and plumbing. Workers may suffer serious injuries from power saws and from sharp metal edges. They may also be struck by falling tools, tackle blocks or scraps of material.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 46 workers have died in ship-breaking industry accidents since 1997. Specialized workers known as insulators, wearing protective clothing and respirators, use wrecking bars and knives to remove insulation from ship bulkheads and ceilings. They often work on ladders and stand in awkward postures, making falls a real hazard. If workers are not provided proper protective gear and training, they may be exposed to harmful airborne asbestos fibers.
Injured while working in a shipyard? We can help!
If you have been injured in a shipyard accident, you owe it to yourself and your family to understand your legal rights. You may be entitled to compensation if your maritime injury was caused by the negligence of others, including shipyard owners and employers. The maritime attorneys at Arnold & Itkin LLP know how to use the Jones Act and other maritime laws to protect the legal rights of injured seamen and maritime workers in Texas and across the Gulf Coast, including Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
If you have suffered serious injury while working in a shipyard, then you owe it to yourself to gain reliable legal representation. Contact Arnold & Itkin today!
