Jones Act Maritime Lawyer : Houston Jones Act & Maritime Injury Lawyer & Attorney : Arnold & Itkin Law Firm : Offshore Injury, Maritime Law : Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida

Arnold & Itkin LLP  has released a new video on LawyerForYou.com. In this new video maritime attorney Lisa Sechelski introduces our law firm's Jones Act & maritime law practice. In it, you'll hear feedback from an actual client and listen as Lisa shares important information you should know if you or a family member are injured in a serious maritime or offshore accident.
 

Maritime lawyers at Arnold & Itkin LLP represent seamen, dockworkers, oil & gas industry workers, cruise ship workers, & others injured in maritime accidents at sea or on inland waters.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

A recent ruling by a federal judge has tugboat operators’ attention.

On December 18, 2009, the family of Freddie Porter, Jr., a U.S. Navy seaman who died as the result of a maritime injury, was awarded $1,250,000 by Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The accident occurred when the Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) carrying Porter was struck by one of eight barges in a flotilla propelled by the tugboat William E. Polle owned by Vulcan Materials Company. While the rest of the RHIB’s crew swam to safety, Porter was sucked under a barge in the 600-foot flotilla and killed by the tugboat’s propellers.

Although the judge ruled that the Navy was primarily at fault for ordering an inexperienced crew with inadequate supervision to conduct a nighttime navigation exercise as part of the sailors’ SEAL (sea, air and land) special forces training, 20 percent of the liability (which in the court’s opinion amounted to $1,250,000) was assigned to Vulcan because the maritime injury case proved that Vulcan failed to post a proper lookout, which in the opinion of the court would have prevented the collision.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link

One of San Diego’s favorite holiday traditions was marred by a tragic accident that occurred when a U.S. Coast Guard vessel struck a pleasure boat, injuring five people and killing eight-year-old Anthony Cole DeWeese of Rancho Peñasquitos, California.

The incident occurred during the 38th annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights, which attracts more than 80,000 spectators each year. According to reports, 13 people aboard a 26-foot Sea Ray had just finished watching fireworks and were waiting for the boat parade to start when they heard a USCG vessel speeding toward them at approximately 30 to 40 knots.

According to witnesses, the 33’ Coast Guard vessel was responding to an emergency call from a grounded boat and was traveling fast with its lights on. The boy’s father, Alan DeWeese, said he tried to maneuver the boat out of harm’s way.

“I thought he was going to turn at some point,” said DeWeese. “He came up so fast, I didn’t have time to react.”

In addition to Anthony DeWesse, who died at UCSD Medical Center about an hour after the incident, two other children suffered minor injuries and were taken to Rady Children’s Hospital. Two adults suffered major trauma and were taken to UCSD Medical Center. Paramedics performed CPR on a third adult before he too was taken to UCSD Medical Center.

• Email This
• Print
• Comments
• Trackbacks
• Share Link