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WILLIS
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If I am injured on a ship, should I give a statement
to my employer ? When should I file a notice of injury report ? Under
the Jones Act, do I have the right to choose my own medical doctor ?
What does maintenance and cure mean under the Jones Act ? Under what circumstances can I recover pain & suffering and loss wages under the Jones Act ? (Click Here)
What does it mean for a ship to be unseaworthy ? Under the Jones Act can part of the ship or vessel be seaworthy and another part unseaworthy? (More)
Under the Jones Act and maritime law, what is the deadline or Statute of Limitation to file a claim or lawsuit if I was injured on a ship or vessel ? (More)
What if I am not a Jones Act seaman, but I was injured on a ship, vessel or an offshore oil rig or platform ? Does maritime law still apply ? Can I file a maritime claim or lawsuit to recover for my injuries? (More)
Can I file a Jones Act claim if my loved on has been diagnosed with asbestos lung cancer or mesothelioma from asbestos exposure while working on a ship or at the shipyard ? (More) Does maritime law protect me if I was exposed to benzene and later I am diagnosed with leukemia ? (More)
(More DOHSA info)
What are my legal rights if I have had a previous or old injury but now I have suffered a new injury to my back and neck and may need surgery but the Maritime Insurance company's adjuster says I am not covered and he will not approve it ? Yes, you are covered whether it is aggravation of a old injury or new one, if you were a Jones Act seaman injured on the vessel and the employer was at fault or negligent then you can file a Jones Act lawsuit for any type of injury such as heart attacks, strokes, head injury, brain damage, paralysis, burns, broken bones, paraplegia, quadriplegia, loss of an arm or leg, blindness and for emotional trauma or mental anguish, disfigurement, medical expenses and for loss wages or lost earnings in the past and future. |
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NOTE: The statements and information provided on this web site are for the informational purposes only. This site is not intended to provide legal advice to the reader and NO attorney-client relationship shall be deemed to arise from the receipt this page and/or its associated pages or any oral or e-mail communication to or from with David Willis or The Willis Law Firm. There will be NO lawsuits filed, claims made, letters or phone calls made for a prospective client, until that person is represented by the firm. An attorney client relationship only arises after the attorney and client have signed a written attorney client agreement, after the attorney has evaluated the background facts provided and has accepted the representation of the client's legal action. Mr. Willis is a licensed attorney in New York and Texas. Principle office is Houston, Texas. He is a Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Lawyer, certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Willis has represented clients in maritime personal injury, barge accidents, boating accidents, transports, crew boats, diving accidents, rig workers, injuries in river, lakes, canals, ICC, wrongful death lawsuits, oilfield accidents, oilrig accidents, tankers, shrimp boats, fishing vessels, tug boats, push boats, auto accident, explosions, crane accidents, rollover, asbestos, mesothelioma, sandblasters disease - silicosis, benzene solvents-aml leukemia, MDS, toxic chemical, lung cancer, 3rd party actions, electrical shock, fires, burns, explosions, helicopter crashes, tugboats, trucking accidents, third party lawsuits, and other product liability and negligence cases from across the United States, including clients from Alabama, Arkansas, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Virginia, Mexico, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia & Wyoming. Further, any statement or reference to past personal injury, products liability lawsuits, settlements or verdicts should NOT be relied upon in one's own case or in your decision on which law firm to hire. All cases, facts, injuries, damages, venues and lawsuits are different and there is NO way to predict the outcome of a particular case, verdict of a jury or judge or the strength of a case before a judge, jury or the appellate court system. The client is responsible for all of their own medical expenses. All cases are handled on a contingent fee basis. No attorney’s fees or case costs charged to client, unless a recovery is made for the client. Often in very serious and catastrophic maritime injury and offshore seaman injury cases Mr. Willis may associate with another attorney as co-counsel and in other matters, the case may be referred. In cases where a legal matter is referred, Mr. Willis will continue to maintain joint responsibility with the handling attorney or lead counsel and actively monitor the progress and development of the case |
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Every
year thousands of maritime workers are injured while on tugs,
towboats and barges. The workers are injured as result
of falls on old and worn out stairs
and ladders, asbestos exposures, chemical exposures, dangerous transfers, absence
of a gangway, over worked crews, defective winches, winch handle accidents,
oily / greasy conditions on ladders & decks, inadequate or
poor lighting, inexperienced crews, defective or worn-out equipment,
negligent and reckless behavior of a
crew member or the ship's officers, collisions with other vessels, icy conditions,
and other conditions making the vessel unseaworthy. Such maritime crewmen are
usually considered Jones Act seamen and as such, when injured, are entitled
to receive maintenance and cure until the worker reaches maximum
medical improvement.
If the maritime employer's negligence caused the injury, then such employer
and / or vessel owner can also be sued for damages under the
Jones Act.
Injuries to the injured worker are often pursued under the Jones Act, so long
as the one who is injured and is more or less permanently attached to a vessel
or fleet of vessels. Immediately after an accident it is important to get names
of the witnesses and fill out an accident report. Failure to report an injury
and follow it up with a report can often be devastating to one's future ability
to prove the injury occurred while on the vessel.
first
injury was clearly the worst of the injuries and if there was fault / negligence
on the part the tug boat
operator, then the employer will try and blame all of the injuries on the second
accident, or any other situation in which the employer or fellow member of
the crew was not at fault. Don't fall victim to this trap. The best advise
for an
injured worker is seek medical attention with a doctor of the worker's choice
and not be bullied into going to a "Company Doctor" or even worst
agreeing not to report the injury so that the boat will not have any loss time
accidents
on the vessel. 
