Video Highlight: "Maritime Lawyers - Arnold & Itkin LLP"
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.
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The district court, as well as the appeals court, found that the definition of a vessel did not include a dredge. The company argued that Stewart was not a seaman. It did, however, acknowledge that he was a member of the dredge's crew, that he spent 99 percent of his work time on the dredge, and that his duties contributed to the function of the dredge. 
Seamen can claim unseaworthiness even if the condition is temporary. In 1960, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a seaman who slipped and fell down a ladder because of a rail that was covered with fish slime. The slime remained on the rail from a previous unloading operation. The court ruled that the vessel owner's duty to provide a seaworthy vessel also applied to temporary conditions. 
This is why the employer, upon contracting the seaman’s services, will try to assess the seaman's medical condition and history and determine if he suffers from any illness or injury. However, a seaman who willfully conceals an illness or serious injury may not be eligible for benefits if the condition worsens. However, if a seaman was not asked about illnesses or injuries at the time of hiring, he may not be at fault for concealment. Courts are sometimes lenient in regards to a seaman’s failure to disclose illnesses or injuries, because the seaman may believe, in all honesty, that he is completely medically fit for the job, in spite of previous injuries or illnesses.
At the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, President Admiral Rick Guenon is calling for increased action to protect ships and crew from pirate attacks. These actions include arming the crew members of vessels and increasing the number of warships in pirate infested waters. However, 
The agency plans to develop a comprehensive maritime network that can receive information from vessel lines and other sources, and then use the information to ward off any threats. The agency has established maritime liaison officers at all its field offices that have connections to the maritime industry.
The enhancements are expected to bring in more than $400 million in extra revenue for the port and could lead to the creation of more than 2,000 jobs. That is good news, not only for the port and its maritime workers, but also for the larger Galveston community.
The company that owns one of the boats, Diversified Environmental Services, is located near the dock and was able to respond to the crisis immediately. The quick response helped prevent damage to marine life and the environment. No injuries were reported in the collision.
After the Newfoundland helicopter crash, investigators began to look into whether the stud fractured before the crash or was smashed during the accident. A broken stud can lead to loss of oil pressure, potentially resulting in a gearbox problem and eventually loss of control of the chopper. Investigators have now determined that the titanium studs are indeed prone to fracture. The studs in the Newfoundland accident are believed to have fractured during the flight. In January, Sikorsky issued an alert asking helicopter operators to replace the titanium studs with steel ones..jpg)
He suffered intense terror, unsure if rescue would arrive in time or if the rig would collapse on him. He suffered injuries to his wrist and back, but the emotional scars ran deeper. He has suffered from severe post traumatic disorder since the accident. In 2007, Campbell was awarded $952,966 including 200,000 in damages for PTSD.
Across the world, 115 countries have promised to ban single hull ships by 2015. In the U.S., single hull tankers are required to unload at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port or other designated unloading points until 2015 comes around. Even as the world moves to avoid another massive and environmentally destructive maritime accident like the Valdez spill, Exxon continues to use single hull tankers. In 2008 alone, Exxon Mobil Corp. hired more older, single hull tankers than the other top ten oil companies combined. The company insists that the cost of hiring double hull tankers is not the reason for its failure to bring them into operation. Double hull tankers can cost up to 20% more to hire than single hull ships.
Fortunately, there were no injuries on board the Gilchrist. Fires on a water craft are often linked to explosions; the fire on the Gilchrist appears to have ignited in the engine. This can happen due to improper maintenance of the fuel system. Fires can also break out due to electrocution, when the vessel comes in contact with a live power line.
It appears that the drilling company was negligent in providing a safe working environment for Jesus Perez. The opening of the platform that Perez fell into, according to the lawsuit, was the result of misplaced grading; the drilling company was responsible for making sure that such potential hazards were absent from the platform.
When the tugboat, Mel Oliver, pushed an oil barge into the path of an oncoming ship last July, apprentice mate John Bavaret was at the helm. Bavaret did not have the licensing needed to operate the tugboat, he was "filling in" for Terry Carver, the captain of the ship. Carver, according his own testimony, jumped ship a few days before the tugboat accident to pursue his girlfriend in Illinois. He asked Bavaret to take his place at the helm of the tugboat. Bavaret's inexperience and lack of qualifications for the job resulted in an accident that ended with more than 280,000 gallons of fuel spilled into the Mississippi River. According to Jim Sellers' testimony, hiring inadequately licensed crew members was a regular practice at DRD Towing. The company, which closed down in August, had previously substituted an unlicensed deckhand for an apprentice mate. According to Sellers, he tried, on many occasions, to caution his employers at DRD Towing that the practice of staffing the vessel crew with insufficiently licensed personnel could end up causing problems for the company..jpg)
a Class 150 lift boat used for work on offshore drilling rigs and platforms. In March of 2007, when he began experiencing stomach pains, Charbonnet requested that his employers provide medical care; his request was denied. At the time, the vessel was just off the Jefferson County shore. Lack of immediate medical attention intensified Charbonnet's symptoms and, as a result, the seaman suffered extreme “physical pain” and “mental anguish”. Charbonnet was later diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. The lawsuit claims that the illness resulted in physical impairment, discomfort, distress, and mental anguish. It also alleges that the employers were negligent in: their failure to provide immediate medical attention, their failure to supervise crew and train employees, and their failure to provide safety equipment and a safe workplace.
Coastal Maritime Stevedoring LLC is a stevedoring company based in Jacksonville, Florida; the company provides loading and unloading services for various kinds of cargo, in addition to warehouse and marine terminal management. The company is capable of handling over sized and unusual cargo, including: military cargo, water crafts, locomotives, cranes and construction machinery. Daise was apparently involved in transporting cargo for Coastal Maritime at the time of the accident.
According to the NTSB, Cosco Busan pilot, John Cota, bore most of the responsibility for the accident due to his failure to read radar data properly. Also, at the time of the accident, Cota was, reportedly, taking as many as 11 different medications for various conditions, ranging from alcoholism to depression. The Board vocalized the reaction of many .jpg)
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for close to 7.5 hours before help arrived. The investigation found that the accident was caused because of the pilots' slow response when the first engine failed. The board concluded that the slow response was probably due to high stress levels because of the timing of the crash - one week after hurricane Katrina made landfall. The chaotic conditions soon after Katrina hit caused delays in the communication network at Houston Helicopters Inc, the company that operated the helicopter. According to the Board's report, there were several violations at Houston Helicopters Inc. which contributed to the delayed rescue efforts. Post Katrina, other offshore helicopter operators serving drilling companies in the Gulf of Mexico made alternative arrangements, so they could continue supporting helicopter flights. Houston Helicopters Inc., however, failed to make any substitute arrangements. Instead, management at the company recommended that pilots use their own cell phones to transmit important flight information to the control center. The board also found that although Houston Helicopters Inc. had a record of 8 accidents, 3 incidents and at least 18 FAA surveillance violations, there were no follow ups made to check if the company was in compliance with rules regarding alternate methods of flight following procedures. 