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Need Help After a Marine Salvage or Towing Accident? Contact Us for a Free Consultation Marine salvage and towing are often high-risk operations for the crewmembers tasked with recovering stranded vessels and cargo. If not handled carefully, these operations can lead to various types of accidents, and these accidents can present risks for serious or fatal injuries. If you have been injured in a marine salvage or towing accident – or if you have lost a loved one in one of these accidents – you have clear legal rights under the United States’ maritime laws. These laws entitle injured maritime workers to financial compensation for job-related injuries, and they allow grieving families to recover just compensation for their loved ones’ untimely deaths. At the Willis Law Firm, we help maritime workers and families recover their losses after salvage and towing accidents. We handle maritime injury and wrongful death claims nationwide. Whether you were injured in a salvage accident in a river or harbor or you are grieving the loss of a loved one in a towing accident on the open ocean, we can use our decades of experience to fight for the compensation you and your family deserve. Marine Salvage Accident Claims Marine salvage operations can involve varying degrees of complexity. In some cases, a salvage company will simply need to dispatch a tug or crane barge to secure a stricken vessel and tow it to a port where it can be disassembled or repaired. In others, seamen will need […]

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Need a Bucket or Basket Transfer Accident Lawyer? Contact Us for a Free Consultation 24/7 When you work on a lift boat, jack-up rig, drilling rig, or offshore platform, simply getting to work can be extremely dangerous. This is especially true if your company uses basket or bucket transfers. Getting transferred to a boat, rig, or platform over the open water is inherently risky, and the risks become even greater during rough seas and in bad weather. As a result, accidents are common, and many offshore workers find themselves in need of a basket transfer accident attorney. At the Willis Law Firm, our practice is dedicated to helping offshore and maritime workers recover just compensation for job-related accidents. This includes accidents involving basket and bucket transfers. Since the Jones Act provides compensation on a “no-fault” basis in many cases, injured workers should consult with a basket transfer accident lawyer regardless of the circumstances leading to their injuries. The Risks Associated with Offshore Basket and Bucket Transfers Basket and bucket transfers often involve the use of Billy Pugh baskets. These are rigid or semi-rigid platforms surrounded by netting or gates that hang from a single overhead attachment point. This attachment point connects to a crane onboard a boat, rig, or platform; and, once workers load into the basket, the crane lifts the basket and transfers the workers to (or from) their job site. Basket and bucket transfers happen offshore every day. In most cases, they are uneventful. But, accidents do happen, […]

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Offshore Helicopter Accident Lawyer Representing Workers and Families Nationwide Oil companies routinely use helicopters to transport workers to offshore rigs and platforms. Many other types of companies use helicopters for their offshore operations as well. Unfortunately, while helicopter travel may be efficient (and may be the only option for landing onboard a rig, platform, or vessel at sea), it can also be dangerous. Offshore helicopter accidents happen every year, and every year offshore workers tragically lose their lives. If you have been injured or lost a loved one, you should speak with an offshore helicopter accident attorney promptly. Our firm represents individuals and families nationwide who have suffered life-altering injuries and lost loved ones in offshore helicopter accidents. Maritime laws provide offshore workers and their families with clear legal rights. But, recovering just compensation is not easy. To make sure you have the best chance to collect the financial compensation you and your family deserve, you need an experienced offshore helicopter accident lawyer on your side. Common Causes of Offshore Helicopter Accidents While helicopters can be extremely safe if well maintained and operated safely in good weather conditions, they can also be extremely dangerous if any of these three factors are missing. As a result, offshore helicopter accidents can result from any of the following: Company Negligence – Unfortunately, many companies choose to prioritize their profits over their workers’ safety, and some are willing to put their employees’ lives at risk to stay on schedule. When companies fail to conduct […]

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Injured Working Off-Shore? You Need the Right Texas Off-Shore Accident Law Firm When you are injured in an offshore accident, you need to have the right legal team on your side. Your employer and the other parties who may be responsible for your injuries will be backed by a powerful group of attorneys who will mount an aggressive defense and fight to limit any payout or recovery to you. You need an experienced Texas offshore accident attorney who can level the playing field and get you the compensation necessary to recover from your accident and more forward with your life. The Willis Law Firm is a leading authority on general maritime law and Jones Act cases. We have an in-depth understanding of these complicated worker’s compensation laws and work aggressively to target the right laws to get maximum recoveries for our clients. Our maritime injury firm represents workers and other individuals nationwide who have been hurt in offshore accidents, including cases involving: Oil Rig Derrick Accidents An oil derrick is a type of lifting structure often found on oil rigs, on land rigs, platforms, drillships, and at docking facilities. There are many different types of lifting derricks including basket, a-frame, guy, and stiff leg. When a derrick is mounted on a ship, drilling barge, jack-up rig, or other vessel it is known as a floating derrick. A different type of derrick is used in oil and natural gas production. These kinds of derricks, generally called oil derricks, are tall frameworks […]

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Talk to a Maritime Drowning Attorney Experienced in Jones Act and DOHSA Claims Maritime drowning accidents should not happen. There is no excuse for vessel owners and other businesses to put their workers’ lives at risk. However, these accidents are not uncommon, and many grieving family members find themselves in need of an experienced maritime drowning attorney. If you have lost a loved one, you may be entitled to financial compensation under federal law. In most cases, families can pursue claims under the Jones Act or the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA). But, there are other options as well, and an experienced maritime drowning attorney will be able to thoroughly examine your family’s legal rights and pursue maximum compensation on your family’s behalf. When Can a Family Member File a Claim for a Compensation?  Maritime drownings can result from several different causes. While companies will often try to blame workers for putting themselves in dangerous situations, the reality is that workers are rarely to blame when these accidents happen. Instead, in the vast majority of cases, vessel owners, oil companies, and other businesses will be liable due to factors such as: Inadequate training Inadequate access to safety equipment Faulty safety equipment Inadequate monitoring of workers at risk for drowning Inadequate vessel, rig, platform or dock maintenance Equipment malfunctions Fires and explosions Vessel collisions Co-worker negligence Forcing employees to work under hazardous conditions Importantly, even if it isn’t possible to prove that a company is to blame for your […]

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Talk to a Texas Maritime Collision Attorney about Your Rights for Free Maritime collisions can lead to serious and fatal injuries. Captains, crewmembers and others on board can quickly find themselves facing life-or-death emergencies, and even those who survive will often face life-altering consequences. If you’ve been injured in an off-shore accident or lost a loved one in a crash between vessels, you should speak with a Texas maritime collision lawyer about your legal rights. Of course, not all maritime collisions are so dire. But, even if a crash doesn’t cause either vessel to capsize, individuals onboard can still suffer severe injuries due to falls, collisions with objects onboard and being struck by moving equipment. Injuries from these types of accidents can still be painful and expensive—and they are still injuries for which you may be able to recover just compensation. When Can Seamen and Families File Claims for Maritime Collisions? Seamen and families can file claims for maritime collisions in most cases. Most maritime collision cases are governed by the Jones Act. Under the Jones Act, “no-fault” benefits are available regardless of what causes a collision, and seamen and families can recover additional compensation through Jones Act negligence and unseaworthiness claims under many circumstances. Maritime collisions don’t just happen. With today’s navigation technology, there is no excuse for two vessels to collide. As a result, collisions are almost always the result of one or more of the following: Captain negligence, distraction, inexperience, intoxication or fatigue Crewmember mistakes Inadequate vessel […]

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Let the Willis Law Firm Know If You’re Injured in a Fire or Explosion at Sea Fires and explosions at sea can have devastating consequences. Despite being entirely preventable, these accidents happen with alarming frequency, and they often leave offshore workers suffering from severe burns and other serious injuries. Tragically, many of these accidents also result in fatalities, leaving families to grieve the untimely loss of loved ones who were unable to escape death at sea. There is no excuse for a boat, ship, oil rig, or offshore platform catching fire or exploding and leaving workers and their families to suffer the consequences. Companies need to take adequate steps to protect their workers—and they need to be held accountable when they fail to do so. At Willis Law Firm, we are experienced in representing offshore workers and families following all types of serious and fatal accidents at sea. If you have been seriously injured or a loved one has been killed in a fire or explosion, we can help you seek the financial compensation you and your family deserve. Holding Employers and Other Parties Responsible for Your Injuries  Simply put, fires and explosions at sea should not happen. Companies should make sure their vessels, rigs, and platforms are safe, and they should regularly inspect their vessels, rigs, and platforms for signs that a disaster may be imminent. Vessel owners, oil and gas companies, and other offshore operators must also hire skilled workers and provide adequate training so that their employees […]

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New Orleans, a city in the southeastern region of the state of Louisiana, has both inland and coastal waterways available for vessels, such as tugboats, to travel on various work-related missions such as the Mississippi River, Port of Louisiana, and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway between Mississippi and Texas.  With its many waterways, including a port, New Orleans is an economic and commercial hub for the Gulf Coast region. Tugboats are a common type of vessel used in New Orleans waterways each year.  A Louisiana tugboat accident lawyer explains the various types of tugboats commonly used, as well as common injuries sustained by individuals working on and coming into contact with a tugboat. Three Common Types of Tugboats in Louisiana A tugboat is a specialized vessel that helps maneuver other vessels (such as barges, rigs, and other boats) by towing or pushing them.  There are three main types of tugboats, including: Seagoing tugboats (also known as sea tugs) are often larger vessels that are used for deep-sea or ocean towing.  Sea tugs are designed to operate out in the sea for longer periods of time. Harbor tugboats are multipurpose vessels that are usually smaller than the seagoing tugboat and have a higher width to length ratio.  These tugs are highly maneuverable as they are used to aid other vessels in and out of ports.  A lighter tugboat is a smaller type of harbor tug that helps tow barges (also known as lightering) in and out of the harbor. River tugboats, also […]

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Georgia Tugboat Accident Lawyer for Injured Seaman  Maritime work, such as work performed aboard a tugboat, is one of the most dangerous industries to work in. In fact, according to the National Institute for Occupational and Health (NIOSH), from 2011-2017, fatal injuries for maritime workers in marine ports and terminals in the United States occurred at a rate five times that of the U.S. workforce overall. Nonfatal injuries and illnesses during that same time period were nearly double that of the U.S. workforce overall. If you or a loved one were injured or killed while performing work aboard a tugboat, a Georgia tugboat accident lawyer at Willis Law Firm can help you or your loved one obtain compensation for work-related injuries. Our firm is dedicated to fighting for the rights of injured maritime workers. The Dangers of Working Aboard a Tugboat Work performed aboard a tugboat involves the towing or tugging of large vessels which can be difficult and very dangerous. Maritime employees working aboard a tugboat often perform work that is repetitive involving the performance of physical labor for long periods of time which can lead to injuries. These maritime workers also use dangerous equipment and machinery every day that can malfunction, also causing injuries to workers.   Accidents sustained by tugboat workers can be severe. Fortunately, there are several laws that protect maritime workers. Maritime law is a specialized area of law that protects maritime workers who are injured or killed at work. The protection and compensation available to maritime […]

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Victims of Barge and Tugboat Accidents in Florida Need the Willis Law Firm Barge, tugboat, and other seafarers are the lifeblood of Florida’s maritime industry. They often put their personal safety on the line when doing their jobs, facing the risk of a wide range of accidents that can cause serious injuries and even fatal consequences. If you’re in a situation like that, our  Florida tugboat accident lawyer can help you. The Willis Law Firm has been helping people injured in barge, tugboat, and other maritime accidents in Florida and across the country for more than three decades. We have dedicated our careers to helping people in their times of need and our firm has a proud record of successful results for our clients and their families. Maritime employers — and, more importantly, their insurers — often play hardball to try to avoid or limit paying the full benefits available under the law, which is why it is vital to have an experienced Florida barge and tugboat accident attorney in your corner.   Three Things You Need to Know from a Florida Tugboat Accident Attorney 1. You May be Entitled to Medical Benefits and Compensation  The good news for maritime workers injured on the job is that a century-old federal law may entitle you to a variety of benefits and compensation. The Jones Act requires maritime employers to provide certain medical benefits to tugboat, barge and some other workers for an injury or illness sustained aboard a ship. This is a no-fault system […]

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