Maritime accidents involving tanker collisions are some of the most dangerous accidents that can occur at sea. While it is not uncommon for vessels to collide, the collisions can lead to catastrophic injuries and even death. With increased vessel speed, the increased ability to carry larger loads of greater tonnage, and increased maritime traffic, the risk of vessel collision accidents has also ...
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Posted By Arnold & Itkin LLP
If you have been injured while working offshore, chances are your injury was a serious one. You may be worried about paying your bills, providing for your family and your future ability to continue working in the industry . You may even be concerned that, by filing a suit to help relieve some of your financial burdens, you may be placing yourself on a "blacklist" that will prevent you from ever ...
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Posted By Arnold & Itkin LLP
There is a high level of dedication and risk involved in the life of a seaman working on offshore excursions. As such, laws such as the Jones Act and the Merchant Marine Act have been created to protect the brave souls that honorably choose this lifestyle as a career. Unfortunately, as a result of the dangers involved in offshore accidents , it sometimes becomes necessary for a seaman to protect ...
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On vessels, seamen operate within different ranks. Offshore worker classifications help further the mission of the vessel by giving crewmembers specific duties and responsibilities. Crewmembers are primarily placed into four different departments: the deck department, the engineering department, the steward's department, and other. Below, we explain the classification of crewmembers within each ...
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One of the most overlooked dangers for maritime workers is actually one they face at the beginning of their hitch : boarding the vessel. The transferring of personnel to and from a vessel while at sea can be hazardous, especially when handled incorrectly. The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) states that before a personnel transfer occurs, all parties involved should be briefed ...
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Tragedies at sea over the last few years have shed light on a recurring problem: captain negligence and the disaster that can result. From ferries to cruise ships, captain negligence can cost the lives of passengers. Capsized South Korean Ferry On April 16, 2015, a South Korean ferry capsized—leaving more than 300 people dead or missing, many of whom were school children. It was found that the ...
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Vessel owners are responsible for ensuring that their boats, barges, or rigs are seaworthy and safe work environments. That means when they’re not—and someone is hurt as a result—they’re liable to pay for that worker’s medical care and other costs associated with the injury. When negligence is involved in these cases (and that’s too often the case) workers are entitled to other forms of ...
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In a troubling news story, NBC is reporting that the Isla Bella, the El Faro’s replacement, may sail into Hurricane Matthew and face waves up to 20 feet tall. TOTE Maritime spoke with NBC, citing that it will be the captain’s responsibility to decide whether the ship remains in port at Puerto Rico or makes the three-day journey to Jacksonville. The company’s official statement said the following: ...
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In a recent article on Jacksonville.com, on the 1-year anniversary of the El Faro tragedy, the Florida Times-Union took a look at the El Faro investigation, its progress, and the fact that there may still be some time before the families (including our clients) get answers about what happened that stormy night on October 1st. Thankfully, there has still been progress. If you remember, early last ...
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Posted By Arnold & Itkin LLP
At Arnold & Itkin, we’ve always had exceptional attorneys on staff. We are always thrilled when our colleagues affirm what we already know about our team. So, we are thrilled to announce that Kurt Arnold , Cory Itkin , and Caj Boatright have been selected to the list for Best Lawyers® for 2017 for Admiralty and Maritime Law. This award is particularly special this year, as Caj Boatright is a ...
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Just before noon Tuesday morning, the crew of the Alaska Juris were faced with a terrible problem: Their ship was sinking. The 220-foot fishing vessel (specifically a factory trawler, which drags nets in order to catch fish) began taking on water in the late morning, on a day only notable for the heavy fog and low visibility. Otherwise, the weather and winds were calm. The Alaska Juris allegedly ...
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Maritime law attorneys from Arnold & Itkin recently filed a Jones Act case on behalf of a seaman who sustained serious injuries to his back while working on a marine vessel. The man has been unable to work as a result of these serious injuries which would not have occurred but for the defendants’ reckless conduct. Arnold & Itkin LLP is honored that another offshore worker has trusted us to help ...
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Later this month, thousands of oil platforms on the United States coast will be subject to new regulations for reporting maintenance failure. Currently, oil rigs are not required to report equipment failure unless it meets certain conditions or affects environmental safety. In other words, rigs don’t have to report failing equipment until something terrible happens. Thankfully, that will soon ...
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Posted By Arnold & Itkin LLP
The dangers of offshore drilling only exponentially increase as rigs drill deeper than they ever have before. In the frenetic search for new resources to relieve the scarcity of oil deposits, boundaries are being pushed, tested, and occasionally crossed altogether. As technology strives to keep up with the demand, offshore oil companies invest millions, even billions, into their rigs in order to ...
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The team at Arnold & Itkin has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a client who was injured in a pier accident. The man suffered serious injuries while standing on a pier that was suddenly hit by a marine vessel. The accident took place in Galena Park, Texas. Our maritime accident attorneys will be seeking to hold the owner and operator of the vessel accountable for the damages and injuries he caused to ...
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Posted By Arnold & Itkin LLP
Drilling for oil is a dangerous career choice. The fatality rate for oil and gas extraction workers is 7 times higher than the national on-the-job average. With a 71% increase in the number of drilling rigs from 2003 to 2013, the industry is becoming more dangerous every year, with the annual death toll in Texas alone rising from 35 in 2003 to 45 in 2010. The annual rate of injuries illness, and ...
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The offshore injury lawyers at Arnold & Itkin have filed a lawsuit on behalf of a man who was seriously injured during a mooring operation. The seaman was struck and pulled by a line, causing severe injuries to his leg, as well as other parts of his body. Due to the extensive nature of his injuries, the seaman required surgery and developed additional medical and health complications. The man’s ...
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The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration is a maritime research organization that works to create accurate charts so that maritime workers can be accurately informed of the environment that is around them. Those who work for the NOAA do everything from weather forecasting to water charting, and they do it so that maritime workers have reliable information that they can count on. NOAA is a ...
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On Thursday, Royal Dutch Shell was forced to shut in all wells that flowed to its Brutus platform on account of an oil spill that dumped approximately 2,100 barrels of crude into the Gulf of Mexico. A company helicopter observed an oil sheen that stretched 2 by 13 miles in waters off the Louisiana coast on Thursday, notifying them of the spill. Once notified, the company pinpointed the leak and ...
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Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas emitted from internal combustion engines, like those found on many boats' electric generators and drive engines. Federal officials have discovered that emissions of carbon monoxide can reach lethal levels of concentration at the stern of houseboats and behind ski boats, cabin cruisers, and even personal watercraft. The highest levels of ...
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Posted By Arnold & Itkin LLP
While working aboard the Noble Globetrotter I, a seaman was struck by a pipe casing and sustained serious injuries to his foot, leg, and knee. After multiple surgeries, the injured seaman was sent back to work prematurely by his company. When the young man was unable to perform his duties due to his injuries, he was terminated by the company. Maritime Lawyers Jason Itkin, Cory Itkin, and Noah ...
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Posted By Arnold & Itkin LLP
An Exclusive Economic Zone is a region of the ocean just offshore that belongs to the state government onshore. This zone was declared by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 to include the waters 200 miles from the shore. In accordance with the International Law of the Sea, other countries also declared similar types of zones. As a result, each state has the ability to fully utilize and harvest the ...
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A tugboat capsized early Tuesday morning as it made its way along the San Jacinto River, which was rain-swollen due to the heavy down pour in the area. Of the five crewmembers on board the Ricky J Leboeuf, four were successfully rescued by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Marine Unit while the tugboat sank into the river. The fifth crewmember remained unaccounted for following the ...
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Arnold & Itkin has stepped up to represent a young man who was injured in an offshore accident . We filed a lawsuit on our client’s behalf after he sustained major injuries to his neck, back, shoulder, and various other areas of his body in a preventable workplace incident. He was directed to transfer from an offshore oil platform to a vessel during noticeably dangerous conditions. As a result, he ...
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Tragically, marine accidents are an all-too-common incident. In many cases, these accidents are caused by a dangerous weather condition, or by human error such as employer or worker negligence or distraction. Unfortunately, there are also times when these terrible accidents occur because a captain or worker was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. For example, in 1989 an accident known as the ...
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