An offshore injury may leave you in physical pain and dealing with financial difficulties that may be impossible to overcome. In these situations, you need a lawyer familiar with Biloxi Port who can aggressively assert your legal right to seek compensation from your employer or other party for your maritime injuries. At Arnold & Itkin, we have considerable skill and experience in handling Jones Act, general maritime law, and all types of offshore injury claims.
Even when going up against formidable opponents, including the largest oil companies in the world, we are not afraid of seeking maximum compensation to help our clients get the money they need to rebuild and move on with their lives. Our commitment to results is evident when you consider the fact that we have recovered billions of dollars in negotiated settlements and jury verdicts for the injured.
Are you ready to find out how we can help with your claim? Call usat (888) 346-5024.
Biloxi, Mississippi is a Southern port city located in Harrison County on the Gulf Coast. The beach front of Biloxi lies directly on the Mississippi Sound, with barrier islands scattered off the coast and into the Gulf of Mexico.
The first European visitors to Biloxi were the French, who sailed to America in 1699 seeking the mouth of the Mississippi River. Commercial fishermen were lured to Biloxi by excellent Gulf Coast fishing opportunities. The cool breezes and numerous beaches lure tourists to Biloxi, but the seafood industry is the core of its economic growth.
Slavonic and Cajun men were drawn to Biloxi in the early 1900s, lured by work as fishermen or cannery factory workers. Historically, fishermen on the boats have been male because of the nature of the physical labor involved. Biloxi fishermen learned to design boats specifically suited to their needs and the Gulf waters. The Biloxi schooner had a broad beam for large crews, a shallow draft suited to inland bodies of water, and sail power enough to drag the oyster dredges and shrimp nets. Replicas of these historic ships can be seen in Biloxi waters today.
The City of Biloxi Port Division operates the Commercial Docking Facility docks, which provide berthing space for the local shrimp fleet. During shrimp season, fresh shrimp is sold at the docks. Biloxi also operates the Lighthouse Fishing Docks, a docking facility providing berthing space for the local and regional shrimp fleet on the Back Bay of Biloxi. Public fishing piers and boat launching ramps are also available throughout the city for public use.
The Biloxi Lighthouse, built in 1848, has the distinction of being the only lighthouse in the United States to stand in the middle of a 4-lane highway. The Biloxi Lighthouse was the first cast-iron tower in the South. The strength of the tower was proven when in 1998, Hurricane Georges toppled the lighthouse at Round Island, and the Biloxi Lighthouse became the last lighthouse of over 10 lighthouses originally built to mark the Mississippi coastline.
The Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum in Biloxi, MS was established in 1986 to preserve the maritime heritage of Biloxi. Besides exhibits on shrimping, oystering, net building, and marine blacksmithing, the museum has replicated two 65-foot, two-masted Biloxi schooners. These examples of living maritime history sail the Mississippi Sound and waters of the north central Gulf of Mexico almost daily.
The U.S. Coast Guard Station Gulfport provides maritime law enforcement and maritime safety services to Biloxi, as well as performing search and rescue missions. In 2009, this group assisted Department of Marine Resources in Mississippi when a section of the Popps Ferry Bridge collapsed after being hit by the Cheryl Stegbauer.
While gambling and tourism are Biloxi's most important industries economically, Biloxi's maritime heritage still defines the city, as evidenced by the many tourists and non-industry residents who watch and participate in the Blessing of the Fleet. The Great Biloxi Schooner Race is held in conjunction with the annual Blessing of the Fleet and is considered a celebration of the onset of shrimping season.
The injuries that an offshore worker may sustain are often severe and may be life-threatening. Severe burns may be caused by fires and explosions resulting from crew member negligence or a defective piece of machinery. A seaman may experience back injuries caused by heavy lifting and physical labor, or as the result of a fall on deck. A jack-up rig, oil platform, barge, tanker or any maritime vessel is a potentially dangerous place, even for experienced workers. Fortunately, injured workers have legal rights under the Jones Act, Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, and maintenance and cure principle under general maritime law. Our firm is equipped to handle all maritime claims—we may be able to assist you.
Do not delay in seeking out compensation for your injuries. Contact Arnold & Itkin LLP today.
Arnold & Itkin represented nearly a third of the crewmembers injured in the Deepwater Horizon explosion.
Because maritime law is so complex and so complicated, it is crucial that you work with an attorney who has an in-depth understanding of how it works and who has proven themselves in similar cases before.
