2011: Year in Review for Arnold & Itkin

The year of 2011 was yet another monumental year for Arnold & Itkin, LLP. Over the years, we have been proud to recover hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients and this was no different in 2011. In fact, we are proud to announce that we successfully recovered over $250 million in the last year alone; an enormous success and a true testament to our dedication to our clients, as well as our unwavering commitment to always providing the highest quality of legal representation.

Recovering this much comes from pairing aggressive out-of-court negotiation skills along with a “never say never” attitude. Our opponents know that we are not willing to settle for an unsatisfactory amount, that we will always be willing to prepare and take a case to the courthouse if that is what is required to obtain justice for our clients. Better yet, they know that when we say this, we actually mean it because we have done so before. We often will claim that it is this level of uncertainty that gives us the upper edge in negotiations.

Still, in some cases even this upper hand isn’t always enough to come to a fair out-of-court settlement. In some cases, we have to back up our word and fight for clients in trial – and we have proven that we are more than willing to do so. Take for example a case that we settled in 2011 involving Diamond Offshore. Our client had been working aboard the Ocean Yorktown at the time of the injury when he had been unexpectedly hoisted over twenty feet into the air and had his fall protection fail. This resulted in serious injuries such as a loss of consciousness, a crushed arm, three fractured vertebrae, three herniated discs, broken ribs and a closed head injury. We tried the case in the 157th District Court in Harris County, TX before Judge Wilson. The case lasted for a week and a half and resulted in the jury returning with a unanimous verdict of $4.9 million.

It was cases like this that made 2011 the success that it was and we were proud to represent clients such as this in their fight for justice. As always, we are proud to help clients get the compensation that they deserve – helping them to receive the medical treatment that is required. Such was the case as we continued to work to defend those who were aboard the Deepwater Horizon at the time of the April 20, 2010 explosion. In fact, we have been honored to represent over a fifth of the entire crew during this time.

We are compassionate to the tragedy that has victimized our clients and their families and we have worked tirelessly to provide them with supportive guidance while aggressively fighting to hold negligent companies liable. During this time, we are grateful to have gotten to know these crew members and have fought tooth and nail to help them get the maximum recovery that they deserve. We encourage you to watch some of the videos from clients involved in Deepwater Horizon case to learn more about their experience with our firm:

While a colossal year, 2011 is just the beginning. We at Arnold & Itkin, LLP are prepared to face 2012 full force and look forward to the challenges that the new year will bring. If you have recently been injured or have suffered from the negligence of a third party, do not let another minute go by without receiving the high quality legal assistance from a maritime attorney that you deserve. Contact an offshore injury lawyer from our firm to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation. We are here to help you. Call today. 

Gulf Coast Oil Spill Could Be Worst in U.S. History

On Tuesday, The Washington Post reported that Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mary E. Landry said that the oil spill that followed the Transocean Deepwater Horizon explosion could “be one of the most significant spills in U.S. history."

The U.S. Coast Guard will consider burning oil on the surface of the Gulf of Mexico to reduce the volume. “It’s a tool in the tool kit and I want to have it as an option,” said Landry, the government coordinator of the spill response. “We fully understand that there can be benefits and tradeoffs to this.”

Following pressure from workers and their families, the Obama administration also announced Tuesday it was launching a full joint investigation into the cause of the explosion, which critically injured three workers and has left 11 missing. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar say they will devote every available resource to a comprehensive investigation of the explosion.

"Once again we see catastrophic injuries in one of the nation's most dangerous industries," said Kurt Arnold, a Houston maritime injury lawyer. "Greater safety measures need to be taken to prevent future accidents like this."

Jason Itkin, another Houston maritime injury lawyer, called for the creation of an offshore worker safety task force.

"Our firm is a member of the National Mariner's Association, and we have a deep interest in increasing and promoting the safety of offshore workers," Itkin said. "Accidents like this show additional safety measures are needed now."

For More Information:
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http://www.jones-act-maritime-lawyer.com

 

Towboat Crew Members Rescued After Accident

The Coast Guard is investigating an accident that occurred in Texas, involving two towing vessels on the Intracoastal Waterway. 

The two towboats, Caroline and Miss Stacie, collided near the High Island Bridge. Both towing vessels were pushing barges at the time. Upon impact, the Caroline began taking on water. Another towing vessel, which was near by, came to the rescue of the damaged boat. The five crew members aboard the Caroline were rescued. None of them were injured.  

The Caroline was partially submerged and protective booming was placed around it. Local officials are also assessing whether any environmental damage resulted from the collision.  So far, however, damage seems to be minimal.

Towboat Pilot's Responsible for Accidents 

Vessel collisions, whether at sea or on an inland waterway are often attributed to adverse weather, poor visibility, and human error. Avoiding a collision depends, very heavily, on maintaining proper lookouts and making the right navigation decisions. Some of the biggest maritime disasters have been linked to captains making the wrong decisions or displaying incompetence. Towboat AccidentThe Cosco Busan collision in 2007, which caused a major environmental disaster, was attributed to pilot error and incompetence. The pilot in that accident was taking prescription medication and failed to notify his employer. The collision with the Bay Bridge caused nearly 58,000 gallons of oil to spill into the San Francisco Bay. Millions of dollars were spent on clean-up operations and local fishermen were deprived of their livelihoods when the fishing season was postponed as a result of the accident.

A collision can end with serious damage to the vessel and, in turn, a need for seamen to abandon ship. Crew members may suffer serious injures in the process. Survivors of major collisions may suffer severe emotional trauma, including anxiety disorders like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The maritime lawyers at Arnold & Itkin LLP represent workers who have been injured in accidents involving cargo ships, cruise liners, offshore drilling rigs, towboats and barges, as well as other Jones Act vessels.

Four Boaters Uninjured After Hudson River Maritime Hit and Run

Luckily, a collision involving a cargo ship and a speed boat on the Hudson River end without any injuries or fatalities. A Hollywood director, however, did get the chance to play hero when he helped the boaters to safety.

According to news reports, an unidentified cargo ship crashed into a sailboat and continued down the Hudson river at around 1 am. The four occupants of the sailboat did not realize they were in danger until the massive ship was upon them. Cargo Vessel Hit and RunThree passengers were thrown from the boat and one stayed on the vessel, or rather the small piece of the hull left floating in the water. At the scene of the accident was Doug Liman, director of films like Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Liman and his friend Avram Ludwig were on a sailboat and saw the cargo ship slice through the smaller sailboat. The two quickly rushed to the scene and helped three of the passengers out of the river.

The Coast Guard is investigating the accident and is still trying to identify the 300-foot cargo ship involved in this maritime hit and run. There is no information about whether the large vessel was a tanker or freighter. Reports indicate the large boat may not have felt the impact of the collision.

Vessel Collisions

The four people on the sailboat, according to the Coast Guard, were extremely lucky to survive the accident. Generally, collisions involving two vessels in which one is several times larger than the other, end in fatalities. It is highly likely that the cargo ship did not see the 42-foot sailboat in the pitch dark. Sailboat crews should be cautious when pleasure boating on waters used as shipping lanes. Coast Guard officers have, for some time now, been warning of the increasing number of accidents involving cargo vessels and recreation boats. Boaters must take care and stay out of waterways known to be frequented by tankers and other large vessels, especially after dark.

The maritime lawyers at Arnold & Itkin LLP represent injured cargo vessel crews, cruise ship employees, offshore workers, and other Jones Act seamen.