If you are one of the tens of millions of Americans living with a medical implant such as an artificial joint or surgical mesh, you probably assumed the device was well-tested for safety. In most cases, you’d be wrong. According to Consumer Reports, most medical implants and other high-risk devices aren’t safety tested before hitting the market...

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At least 4 crewmembers on a cruise ship, that sustained damage during a journey to Antarctica, have been reported injured. The cruise vessel, the Silver Explorer operated by Silver Sea Cruises was returning to Argentina at the end of an 18-night trip to Antarctica when it ran into rough seas. There was damage to the ship, but none of the passen...

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According to a report by NPR, fishing continued to be the deadliest occupation for workers in the United States, accounting for 121.2 fatalities for every 100,000 workers in 2011. According to statistics by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, fishing continues to remain the most dangerous occupation in the country, even though the number of fisherm...

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The recent Carnival Triumph disaster, in which a massive cruise ship with thousands of passengers on board lost all power and was left floating in the ocean for more than 24 hours, has made headlines. However, this is not the first time that passengers have been inconvenienced at sea, when a fire broke out on board, cutting off all electricity. ...

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On May 8, 2010, the passenger ferry Andrew J. Barberi crashed into the St. George Terminal at Staten Island in New York. The accident resulted in serious injuries to dozens of passengers on board. The National Transportation Safety Board blames loss of propulsion control on the ferry for the accident.  The board also blames the accident on the ...

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Fall accidents are the most frequent cause of spinal cord injuries involving maritime workers. These are some of the most catastrophic injuries, and can lead to lifelong devastating consequences for the worker. These injuries are so catastrophic because there is no complete for spinal injury. However, there has been a lot of interesting new rese...

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A fire on a pair of Mobile River barges that sparked explosions and left three workers injured has been put out, according to the U.S. Coast Guard on Thursday. The workers, who were getting the barges ready for reloading at the time of the initial explosion on Wednesday night, sustained severe burn injuries, Mobile fire officials said. The work...

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Typically, a maritime worker who has suffered traumatic brain injury on a vessel may be advised to undergo a CT scan, in order to determine the presence and severity of the injury. However, such workers may have greater benefits if they're put through an MRI. According to new research, a hospital MRI may be much more beneficial in predicting the...

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When it comes to the use of personal flotation devices, most crabbers agree that these devices can be the only thing that saves their lives if they're unlucky enough to fall overboard. However, many crabbers avoid wearing personal flotation devices because these are seen as uncomfortable. The National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health...

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Investigations into a tanker accident, in which a tanker struck a part of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, are ongoing. The Overseas Reymar scraped out part of the tower support of the bridge in January. A 30-foot section of the fender of the tower was damaged. The United States Coast Guard released a statement in which it has said that of...

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According to the International Maritime Pilots Association, a ship pilot was killed recently during a fall accident on a vessel. The 58-year-old pilot was on a vessel that was sailing on the River Elbe. At the time of the accident, the pilot was attempting to board the boat. He had been standing on a ladder, when he slipped and fell into the wat...

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In the wake of the Costa Concordia cruise ship tragedy, attention has been focused on what seems to be the despicable behavior of the captain, Francesco Schettino. He currently faces charges of manslaughter in the tragedy that has confirmed to have killed more than 11 people. However, it is his behavior in abandoning his vessel while passengers ...

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Three seamen have filed an $11.5 million lawsuit against their employer, Dredge Operators Inc., claiming they suffered brain and lung injuries after being exposed to epoxy and acid. The lawsuit was filed Aug. 3 in federal court in New Orleans. The men said they suffered brain injuries and permanent disabling injuries to their lungs and other bo...

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The questions of liability for workers injured in a maritime environment and the jurisdictions of the courts that may properly hear such maritime claims is complicated by issues such as state versus federal jurisdiction and liability for injuries that arise in areas where state versus national versus international territorial waterways may not b...

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A British Petroleum executive is defending a report on the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion in federal court in New Orleans today. Mark Bly was in charge of the company’s investigation into the explosion that killed 11 people and sent millions of gallons of oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico. It’s the fourth day of testimony. The civil trial ...

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Every maritime attorney knows that a commercial fishing vessel crew member’s job is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. A fishing boat crewmember is exposed to a number of hazards every day on the job. However, many of these risks could be reduced if there is better attention paid to the way in which these workers use occupational tools...

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Investigations into the death of a chief engineer on an Australian cruise vessel during a routine drill, have focused on a lot of flaws in the systems in place on the vessel, the Oceanic Discoverer. According to investigations, the crew member died after he suffered crushing injuries when he was trapped in a watertight door. In March 2009, the ...

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A coalition of environmental groups from five states filed a lawsuit Monday in federal court claiming the Environmental Protection Agency rules on chemical dispersants used in oil spill cleanups do not adhere to clean water standards. The lawsuit says the EPA has not published regulations on acceptable use of such dispersants in response to oil...

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If you're a worker in the shipyard, ship breaking or ship repair industries and have suffered an injury, it is important that you notify your employer of the injury as quickly as is possible in order to be eligible for LHWCA benefits.  If your injury required medical treatment, ask your employer to provide you with a Form LS-1. This gives you t...

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The trial over the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill is set to begin this morning in New Orleans before a federal judge, with no jury. Attempts to reach a settlement over the weekend failed, but legal experts expect that one will be reached, at least with the U.S. Department of Justice, within the next few months.  Eleven men were ...

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Police have managed to identify the man who was killed in a barge accident in New Jersey recently. The man was killed when he was pinned under a barge under Route 35 on the Sayreville side of the Morgan Bridge. The deceased was a US Marine veteran.  There are few details about how this accident occurred. Some reports have indicated that the man...

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Some of the more frequent cases that we get as maritime lawyers involve workers who have injured their foot while working on a vessel, rig, barge or tugboat. Some of the most common foot injuries are fractures, crushed feet, punctures, lacerations, cuts, burns, strains and sprains. A worker who gets his feet caught between heavy machinery, or c...

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A crew member died after falling into the cargo bay of a cargo ship docked in the Houston Ship Channel on Thursday morning. The worker fell from the deck into the cargo hold about 12:30 a.m. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the ship was docked at Texas Terminal NO. 37 near Patrick’s Bayou. The man was pronounced dead after being rushed to Mem...

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A maritime accident involving a cargo ship in Kentucky caused a partial bridge collapse last week. According to officials, the accident occurred near the US 68/KY 80 bridge over Kentucky Lake. The cargo ship, the MV Delta Mariner, struck the bridge in the late evening. The 30-foot vessel was carrying rocket components for Boeing at the time. Fo...

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If you have sustained a maritime injury, knowing where to turn can be quite difficult. This is especially true for individuals who are not familiar with maritime injuries, as trying to learn more about this type of injury and how it might affect you can be easier said than done.The most important thing after suffering an injury is to have a stro...

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The Chief Officer of a cargo ship which ran aground on the southern coast of the Island of Bute last year has been fined. The accident has been linked to the Chief Officer falling asleep at the wheel. The accident occurred on July 2, 2012, when the cargo ship Coastal Isle was on its way from Belfast to Greenock. Fortunately, there were no injur...

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On December 3, 2012, a jack up rig collapsed at Singapore's Jurong shipyard, injuring more than 80 workers on the rig. Another worker who was working on the recovery of the rig died recently after losing consciousness on board. The jack up rig, the Noble Regina Allen, tilted suddenly last month, due to suspected brake failure. It tilted approxi...

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A new study finds that up to 30% of the American workforce is sleep deprived. Maritime attorneys believe that the situation is not much different on water. Seamen are at a high risk of suffering injuries when they are forced to work continuously without sufficient breaks.  The study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates th...

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A sightseeing vessel ran aground in Alaska’s Glacier Bay, filling the vessel with water. Seventy-six people were rescued, but none were seriously injured, U.S. Coast Guard officials said. The boat was stabilized after the accident, and there were no signs of spills or other pollution. Most of the passengers were transferred to a Holland America...

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Electricity is an integral part of the modern workplace, and therefore, workers in all kinds of industries may be exposed to electrical injuries. However, maritime workers may be at an especially high risk of serious electrocutions or electrical injuries, because they work in an environment that constantly brings electricity in contact with wate...

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An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board has confirmed that pilot error caused a collision involving a chemical tanker and a container ship in the Houston Ship Channel last year. The accident occurred in the Houston Ship Channel in October 2011. The Greek-flagged tanker Elka Apollon was sailing outbound in the Houston Ship C...

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The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s Alaska Pacific Office recently conducted a survey of the best types of personal flotation devices for fishermen. The survey included fishermen, trawlers, longliners and gillnetters. The researchers found that fishermen in different types of work may prefer different types of flotation d...

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There have been 37 lawsuits filed regarding a high-speed ferry crash in New York that injured dozens of people on Jan. 9. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damage, and the company is seeking limited liability. The accident involved a high-speed ferry that crashed into a pier near Wall Street during the morning rush hour. According to some of the pa...

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Some of the more frequent injuries that maritime lawyers come across are fractures. Most often, these occur during falls on the same level or from a higher elevation. Fractures can also occur when a maritime worker is struck by flying debris, or a falling object. An accident involving heavy machinery can result in a broken bone. Workers can fall...

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Maritime law is a broad, and particularly complex, area of law that can cover a range of issues. Whatever your specific need, selecting your maritime lawyer will be critical to the success of your claim or transaction. Here are some important issues to consider when meeting a potential maritime attorney for the first time:1. What is Their Specif...

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A final set of federal safety regulations were issued last week for offshore drilling. The rules are a fine-tuning of the emergency measures enacted after the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and subsequent oil spill. The rules deal with how wells are designed and the testing of the cement and barriers that are used to secure them. The go...

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a shipbuilder for safety violations that contributed to the death of one worker last August. The company Jeffboat LLC is one of the country's largest inland ship builders. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration launched inspections of the company's barge building facilities,...

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The International Maritime Bureau on Monday reported a 54 percent drop in maritime piracy in the first six months of the year. The group attributed the decline to anti-piracy operations by international navies off Somalia, increased vigilance, and the use of armed guards by private ships. The new numbers show that 177 attacks were reported worl...

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A crew member has been reported killed in a deadly fire that raged through a tugboat near Prince Edward Point, Ontario. According to earlier news reports, the man, a chief engineer on the vessel, had sustained serious injuries. He has now succumbed to those injuries. At the time of the accident, there were six people on the vessel, including th...

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A seaman his filed suit in a New Orleans federal court, claiming he sustained disabling injuries from a fall after slipping on a vessel’s wooden floor. The Jones Act lawsuit accuses Big R Towing Inc. of negligence for failing to maintain the vessel and her appurtenances in a safe and reasonable state of repair.  The lawsuit also claims the defe...

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