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Offshore Injuries Lawyer
Have you or a loved one been hurt in an offshore injury? Every year hundreds of passengers and workers are injured in accidents that occur away from land. The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement reports that these accidents often result from collisions, fires, equipment, and other factors that lead to devastating consequences.
Injuries that occur away from land are considerably more complex than regular personal injury cases. These incidents can also be significantly more damaging for victims due to a lack of available care and resources at sea. You need a maritime lawyer in your corner if you have been injured offshore.
Willie D. Powells III understands the emotional, physical, and financial damages that his clients suffer after an offshore injury. There is likely a party who is liable for these injuries. He fights relentlessly to get his clients the compensation that they deserve after these incidents occur. Contact Willie D. Powells III today to discuss your case.
Maritime Injury Lawyer
Have you or a loved one been injured and are considering whether you should contact a maritime injury lawyer? Personal injury and wrongful death cases related to maritime laws are vastly different from traditional cases. Maritime laws provide increased compensation for victims and are handled by an entirely different legal process. Hiring a maritime personal injury lawyer is a crucial element of securing all of the compensation that you are entitled to receive as a victim or surviving relative.
Oil Rig Fires & Explosions
Have you or a loved been hurt or died as a result of an oil rig fire, explosion, or other accident? Oil rig workers perform one of the most skilled and dangerous offshore jobs. Unfortunately, oil companies do not always take necessary precautions and catastrophic accidents occur.
Underwater Welding Accidents
Have you or a loved one been hurt in an underwater welding accident? Underwater welding requires extensive skills and experience in welding and diving. Underwater welding is a dangerous job with one of the highest injury and fatality rates across all professions.
Barge Accident
Have you or a loved one been involved in a barge accident? Barge workers are exposed to numerous elements that increase the risk of serious worksite accidents.
Cargo ship accident
Have you or a loved one been hurt in a cargo ship accident on land or while at sea? Maritime workers, including individuals who work on cargo ships, are at a significantly higher risk of injury than those with land-based occupations.
Commercial Fishing Accidents
Commercial fishing is a dangerous occupation. There are numerous incidents that can occur, including slips and falls, machinery failures, fires, and other catastrophic incidents that could result in serious injuries.
Cruise Ship Accidents
Cruise ship accidents are more common than most people realize. A vacation experience is abruptly tainted when an accident, crime, or other traumatic event occurs onboard a cruise ship. The laws surrounding these incidents are complex and may involve several jurisdictions, including maritime, federal, and sometimes laws of other countries. This complicates the legal process and requires the best lawyer in your corner to fight for your rights.
Deckhand Accidents
Deckhands are essential crewmembers on commercial shipping boats, cargo vessels, barges, cruise ships, and more. These maritime workers are responsible for performing an extensive number of job-related tasks, including cleaning, assisting in equipment operations, and running errands for ship officers.
Texas Offshore Injury Lawyer
It is critical to hire an experienced Texas offshore injury lawyer when accidents occur on a ship, boat, or other vessels on the water. These accidents are not protected under normal land laws and are governed by maritime law. Mainstream personal injury lawyers do not have the skill, knowledge, or experience to defend these cases.
A Texas Offshore Injury Lawyer Can:
- Review the facts surrounding your accident.
- Build a case that proves that the liable party is responsible for your injuries.
- Gather evidence.
- Deal with the prosecution and insurance companies.
- Help you navigate the complex legal processes.
- Fight to get you compensation for all of your losses.
Hiring an offshore injury lawyer is the key to getting compensation for all of the damages in your case. These damages could include compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering, and additional protections only covered by maritime law.
Offshore injuries are handled by an entirely different court system than regular personal injuries. This court system, known as the admiralty court, is governed solely by an admiralty judge. It is imperative that you choose an experienced maritime lawyer who is experienced with these customs if you have been injured offshore.
Types Of Offshore Injuries
There are numerous potential hazards that lead to serious accidents while at sea. These accidents lead to injuries, including broken bones, muscular injuries, drowning, and other serious incidents.
- Slips and Falls
- Falling Objects
- Explosions
- Cuts and Lacerations
- Head/Neck Injuries
- Back Injuries
- Drowning
Offshore accidents could affect any individual that is a passenger on a navigable water vessel. This risk can affect those traveling for recreational purposes (ex: cruise ship passengers), or those who work on a ship.
Being hurt while participating in recreational activities is a traumatic experience. A pleasant experience can quickly be destroyed when a slip and fall occurs, or a passenger falls ill.
Individuals in the maritime industry are at a significantly higher risk of being hurt on the job.
Offshore workers are exposed to numerous dangers, including chemicals, substances, heavy equipment, and other hazardous situations. Workers are entitled to specific rights under maritime law and are entitled to seek compensation directly from their employer when these incidents occur.
- Oil Rig Accidents
- Loss of Well Control
- Crane Accidents
- Cargo Accidents
- Fires
Offshore workers are also significantly more likely than other workers to suffer from musculoskeletal injuries, including back injuries.
Common Causes of Offshore Accidents
Ship passengers are entitled to a safe, hazard-free environment whether they are traveling for work or recreational purposes. Negligence is generally to blame in nearly all cases when offshore accidents occur.
Common Causes of Offshore Accidents Include:
- Inadequate Training
- Unsafe Practices
- Poor Management
The direct causes of offshore accidents are vast due to the numerous types of accidents that could occur. There are numerous hazards at sea that present a high risk of injury and illness.
Workers are at risk of serious injuries caused by oil rigs, cranes, falling objects, and other dangers. Explosions are a common cause of many offshore accidents and can lead to serious burns.
Contact Our Houston Maritime Lawyers Today
Proving liability for an offshore accident requires experienced Houston maritime lawyers. Maritime laws were developed to protect ship passengers after departure from the continental US, regardless of jurisdiction. These laws are complex and require a skilled, bold, team of maritime lawyers to fight for you.
Contact an experienced maritime lawyer today to discuss your offshore injury case. Our Houston maritime lawyers will fight to get you the compensation that you deserve for your injuries, including lost wages, pain and suffering, medical bills, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
An offshore injury lawyer is a legal professional who is experienced and skilled in fighting for victims of accidents that occur offshore. These professionals have extensive knowledge in the area of maritime law, including the acts that protect workers and passengers at sea.
An offshore injury lawyer helps clients who are injured offshore collect evidence and build a case to defend them in the admiralty court system. This is a specialized court system that is designed to handle these unique cases.
Reach out to an offshore injury lawyer immediately if you or a loved one was injured or wrongfully died as a result of an offshore injury. Someone is liable for these injuries and should be held accountable for immediate and long-term damages.
Workers who are injured offshore are entitled to certain rights under maritime law. Maritime law is an area of law that consists of several acts that were developed to protect workers at sea. Maritime workers are entitled to a safe working environment on an operatable water vessel.
Injured Maritime Workers’ Rights Acts:
- Death on High Seas Act
- Longshore and Habor Workers’ Compensation Act
- Jones Act
- Passenger Personal Injury Protection
The Jones Act protects workers while they are at sea. The Longshore and Habor Workers Act protects individuals who work to load and unload water vessels.
Maritime workers also have the right to sue their employer for damages in the event that they are harmed on or near their worksite. Any act of negligence on behalf of a maritime employer deems the employer responsible for any resulting injuries.
There are several steps that you must take in the event that you are injured offshore. Adhering to these steps will ensure that you protect your legal rights and are compensated for your injuries.
- Report the incident to the ship operator. This is simply a record that the incident occurred. Do not admit guilt, agree to a recorded statement, or sign any documentation.
- Take photo and video evidence of any circumstances regarding your injury, including photos of the cause of the accident. Record all information.
- Seek a medical opinion of another medical practitioner when you return to land. Oftentimes, employers will try to force hurt employees to be seen by the doctor and legal team on the ship. These individuals work for the ship and will have the employer’s best interest in mind. Comply with the doctors on board but seek another medical opinion immediately.
- Contact a maritime lawyer immediately to discuss your case.
Contact a maritime lawyer even if you failed to comply with any of the aforementioned steps. An offshore injury lawyer can help you gather evidence to support your personal injury case and help you get the compensation that you deserve.
Having an offshore injury lawyer in your corner is an essential part of securing a win in an admiralty court. You deserve to be compensated for all of your losses and hiring an experienced maritime lawyer is the only way to ensure that all damages are accounted for.
Benefits of an Offshore Injury Lawyer Include:
- Experience
- Knowledge
- Reliability
- Specialized Skill
- Full Compensation for Your Injuries
Maritime law is a complex area in the legal field that requires an experienced, knowledgeable, and bold attorney in your corner.
An offshore injury lawyer can also help you navigate the personal injury claims process and fight for you while you recover.
Contact experienced offshore injury lawyer Willie D. Powell III today to discuss your case. Willie D. Powell III has helped thousands of clients get the compensation that they were due for maritime injuries.
Offshore accidents can lead to serious injuries with lingering consequences. These incidents may result in long-term damages for which someone should be held liable.
There may be several parties that are responsible for your offshore accident and resulting consequences, including medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and additional damages. Maritime workers have the legal right to sue their employer for damages in the event that they are hurt on the job. Employers are responsible for ensuring that all workers adhere to safety protocol and that all safety practices are followed.
One common example of negligence on behalf of the employer occurs when failure to maintain equipment and to practice safe cargo loading practices leads to an offshore accident. Recreational passengers who are injured offshore may hold their cruise line, ship staff, and/or other passengers accountable.
There may be one or more parties who can be held liable for an offshore accident, depending on the unique circumstances in your case.
