Resources

Shipyard workers, and other shoreside maritime workers, suffer from serious injuries each year.  Sometimes these injuries can be as serious or even more severe than those suffered by crew members working on a vessel. Longshoremen and harbor workers, such as those working on docks, shipping terminals, or shipyards, are covered by special maritime laws such as the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. This federal law can be complicated to understand if you are unfamiliar with legal language. However, the experienced maritime attorneys at Willis Law Firm can advise you of your legal rights under all applicable state and federal laws and help you or your loved one obtain appropriate compensation for the injuries sustained while working in a shipyard or performing other maritime-related work. Our firm fights to protect injured maritime workers.  Common Injuries Sustained by Shipyard and Other Shoreside Maritime Workers Shipyards are dangerous places to work, and they expose workers to the risk of serious accidents. One exposure faced by such workers is to toxic chemicals. Some of the common chemicals and toxins that shipyard workers may be exposed to include: Lead Benzene Asbestos Lead Exposure Although the federal government banned the use of lead decades ago, it still exists in some products and ships today. When lead-based paint on ships starts to peel away, it releases hazardous toxins into the air that become dangerous to shipyard workers. Maritime workers who breathe in these toxins or absorb lead through the skin can experience various health issues. According […]

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Did you know that maritime workers have a higher fatality, injury, and illness rate than other categories of workers in the United States? Maritime-related injuries and accidents occur on and off vessels for various reasons, such as owners and operators failing to maintain a safe and seaworthy vessel, slips and falls from oily deck surfaces, falling off defective ladders, and exposures to toxic chemicals, among other things. Some maritime workers are even injured while working aboard a vessel in untraditional manners. For example, several years ago, a crew member was wounded by a bread trolley in the galley of Celebrity Cruises’ Eclipse (a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruises). The ship’s sudden movement caused the trolley to roll, fall over, and then strike the worker in the back.  The worker was awarded several million dollars for spinal injuries. There are many more stories out there where vessel workers were seriously injured.  The Willis Law Firm is here to help you or a loved one obtain compensation for the damages you sustained while at work.  What Laws Protect Maritime Workers? Maritime law is a niche area of law that protects maritime workers injured on the job. The protections and compensation available depends on several factors, such as the type of worker injured, where the injury occurred, and the specific details of the accident and injuries sustained.  Some of the more common laws that protect maritime workers include: Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA): This applies to maritime workers injured near navigable […]

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Having a vessel capsize or sink is a dangerous scenario that could happen to maritime workers performing their duties while in navigable waters. For many, such incidents never happen. However, others have dealt with the trauma and tragedy associated with a capsized or sinking vessel.   For example, in early September of 2019, a 656-foot vehicle carrier ship known as the Golden Ray overturned off the coast of Brunswick, Georgia, with crewmembers initially trapped inside of the overturned vessel. The ship had 24 people onboard, including 23 crew members and one pilot. Fortunately, the trapped crew workers were rescued after the Coast Guard’s intense rescue efforts. The rescuers performed taps on the ship’s hull to try and find the crew’s location. Finally, once they received return taps, rescuers could drill a hole into the hull and eventually rescue the crew. Although their lives were spared, some crew members sustained injuries.   In another example, a cruise ship on the Yangtze River overturned during a severe storm. It was carrying over 450 people. Many passengers were injured, died, or went missing. Unfortunately, there are other stories like this one and the Golden Ray where maritime workers were hurt. The experienced maritime attorneys at Willis Law Firm help fight for the rights of injured crew members and their families like the ones injured aboard those vessels.    Common Injuries Sustained By Workers Aboard a Capsized Vessel  Some common injuries that a crew member could sustain from a distressed vessel that capsizes or sinks include, but […]

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Picture it: You’ve booked the vacation of a lifetime, and it was supposed to be a time when you and your loved ones should have been enjoying the warm breeze of a tropical paradise and relaxing on white sandy beaches. However, instead, you end up sustaining severe injuries due to the negligence of the cruiseliner. If this has happened to you, the cruise ship injury attorneys at Willis Law Firm are here for you.  Unfortunately, both passengers and crew members aboard a cruise ship can be seriously hurt or even killed from various types of cruise ship accidents. That being the case, you should note that the attorneys at Willis Law Firm are different — we put clients first. Our firm is committed to holding cruise ship owners accountable.  We fight for injured passengers to get proper compensation for the injuries sustained while onboard a cruise ship.   Typical Injuries That Cruisers Can Face Our cruise ship attorneys have decades of experience representing individuals, including passengers and crew members, injured in maritime-related accidents, such as those that occur while aboard cruise ships. We have a deep understanding of maritime laws, so we can offer highly skilled representation to cruisers and/or cruise workers who have been hurt while onboard the vessel.   Some common accidents and injuries that cruisers face include, but are not limited to: Slips, trips and falls  Violence, rapes, and assaults,  Alcohol-related incidents Drowning from falling overboard  Fires and mechanical issues Weather issues and rough sea accidents Sadly, some passengers […]

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Crew members working on oil tankers are exposed to dangerous perils each day while working. However, there are special laws that govern maritime workers, such as the Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA). These federal laws provide compensation to various maritime workers injured while working on or near a vessel. At Willis Law Firm, our maritime accident attorneys are well versed in the law and we regularly fight for injured workers, including those working aboard oil tankers, to help them get the compensation they deserve for the maritime-related injuries sustained. If you or a loved one was hurt while working aboard an oil tanker and have questions, contact our office today for a free case evaluation. Our firm puts our clients first.  The Dangers of Oil Tanker Explosions Oil tankers can be especially dangerous for maritime workers because of the flammable and toxic chemicals they carry. Sometimes, explosions and fires can occur unexpectedly, which was the case with a Russian oil tanker that exploded in the Sea of Azovback in October of this year.  Thirteen crew members worked aboard the vessel and three went missing after the explosion. Although the tanker was actually empty at the time of the explosion, Russia’s Federal Agency for Maritime and River Transport noted that the tanker explosion may have been triggered by flammable vapors left behind from the vessel’s previous cargo that it was transporting. After the explosion, the ship was incapable of operating properly and had to be […]

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Maritime work is dangerous.  In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, maritime workers, especially those in marine terminals and ports, have a higher fatality, injury, and illness rate than other categories of workers in the United States.  From 2011-2017, the CDC reported that maritime worker deaths occurred at an annual rate of 15.9 per 100,000 workers (a rate five times that of the U.S. workforce overall).  The nonfatal injury rate for maritime workers is double that of the U.S. workforce overall.   Because such work is so dangerous, safety aboard a vessel is key to preventing injuries. Vessel owners and operators must follow numerous safety laws, guidelines, and regulations established by governmental entities such as the U.S. Coast Guard and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).  These, and other governmental agencies, put together free safety resources to help vessel owners and operators exercise safety aboard their vessels to reduce workers’ injuries.  Below are some sample resources available for free: Deck Barge Safety  Safety and Health Regulations for Longshoring Equipment Approval Standards Development Unfortunately, even with safety regulations and free safety resources, owners and operators sometimes fail to maintain a safe and seaworthy vessel, which causes accidents and injuries to maritime workers that could have been prevented. Common accidents and injuries sustained by workers include slips and falls from oily deck surfaces, falling off defective ladders, severe back injuries from lifting heavy cables and lines, fractured and broken bones, drowning from falling overboard, amputated limbs, exposures to […]

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Commercial Fishing Vessel Accident Near Florence, Oregon Claims Lives An example of a dangerous commercial fishing accident occurred in June 2020 when a fishing boat called the Acquarius struck the south jetty in the Siuslaw River Bar near Florence, Oregon, and started taking on water, causing crew members to jump overboard. This particular area has a very narrow channel, and the Oregon State Marine Board warns boaters to use extreme caution when operating near this bar. The U.S Coast Guard responded to the vessel’s distress call to help the crew who had abandoned the ship. Unfortunately, two individuals were lost as a result of this commercial fishing boat accident.   Maritime workers, such as these individuals, are severely injured each year because of vessel accidents such as this one.  If you or a loved one sustained a serious maritime injury while engaging in commercial fishing, the experienced maritime accident lawyers at Willis Law Firm are here to help you obtain the compensation you deserve.  Call our office today for a free case evaluation. Our firm is different from other maritime law firms because we always put our clients first and fight for injured maritime workers.  How Can a Jones Act Accident Lawyer Help? Accidents sustained by commercial fishermen can be severe.  Fortunately, there are laws that protect maritime workers, such as the Jones Act or the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA).  These federal laws apply to various maritime workers, depending on their job responsibilities, and help them receive compensation […]

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The maritime industry is very large, including over a million maritime workers across the world.  Because seamen work aboard vessels in confined spaces and close quarters to each other, such conditions are favorable for the spread of airborne diseases like COVID-19.  It is easy for germs to spread aboard vessels, especially those not kept in the highest sanitary conditions during a global pandemic. Unfortunately, maritime workers worldwide are struggling to stay safe due to the rampant spread of the highly contagious COVID-19.  If you or a loved one became seriously ill from working aboard a vessel, suffered damages, and don’t know where to turn, contact an experienced maritime injury lawyer at Willis Law Firm.  Our attorneys put clients first and are dedicated to protecting injured or ill workers from hazardous and unsanitary work conditions.  Extended Contract Periods Cause Maritime Workers to Become Fatigued, Sustaining Serious Injuries In addition to the challenges of staying safe from COVID-19 while working, some maritime workers are being forced to remain on ships past their contract period. This causes workers to become tired and mentally exhausted, making them no longer fit to safely perform their maritime work duties. Tired crew members and overextended work trips can, unfortunately, lead to serious accidents and injuries, such as: Slip and falls from oily deck surfaces,  Falling off defective ladders, Injuries from lifting heavy cables and lines,  Fractured and broken bones,  Drowning from falling overboard,  Amputated limbs, Burns from fires and explosions onboard, Exposures to toxic chemicals, and  Death. […]

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Maritime Workers Are Hurt Every Year Yearly, thousands of maritime workers are injured while working aboard a vessel in the navigable waters. Sometimes accidents occur for various reasons such as operator errors, safety hazards onboard, mechanical issues, improperly trained maritime workers, fires and explosions onboard, and failure to maintain safety standards, among other issues.  However, some workers are injured or even killed because of severe weather conditions that hit the open seas while workers are traveling to and from their destinations, as was the case with a livestock ship that sank off Japan’s coast earlier this year. If you or a loved one were injured while working aboard a vessel, the experienced maritime accident lawyers at Willis Law Firm are standing by to help you with your case.   Maritime Workers Killed When Gulf Livestock 1 Sank In early September 2020, Typhoon Masak hit Japan’s coast, causing very rough seas and dangerous weather conditions.  Only days later, a ship known as Gulf Livestock 1 carrying approximately 6,000 head of cattle and 43 maritime workers sank. The livestock ship departed from New Zealand and was headed to China with cattle. On September 2, only days after the typhoon hit, a distress call was received from the ship just off Japan’s coast. Unfortunately, only a few survivors were rescued by the Japanese coast guard from the distressed ship.  One survivor told officials that the ship had lost an engine and then capsized after a wave hit the ship.   It is essential for shipowners […]

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Maritime workers are injured each year due to various issues such as unseaworthy vessels, oily decks, fire hazards, and dangerous weather conditions, among other reasons.  One risk that maritime workers are exposed to that is not discussed quite as frequently involves workers contracting communicable (or infectious) diseases, such as COVID-19, while working aboard a vessel.  If you or a loved one became seriously ill after contracting an infectious disease while working aboard a vessel, the experienced maritime attorneys at Willis Law Firm can help you or your loved one obtain compensation for your work-related illness.  Our firm is dedicated to protecting injured maritime workers.  Unmasking Communicable Diseases Aboard Vessels Unfortunately, seamen work in conditions favorable for the spread of infectious diseases, including but not limited to COVID-19, Influenza, Norovirus, Hepatitis A, and Legionnaires’ Disease, among other contagious diseases.  Seamen work aboard vessels in confined spaces where workers commonly share close quarters.  Sometimes working conditions aboard vessels are unsanitary, which causes germs to spread rampantly.   Shipowners and operators must ensure that the vessels that seamen are working on are safe, clean, and healthy. Accordingly, owners/operators must follow safety guidelines and regulations and communicate policies and procedures for maintaining a safe work environment to the crew working aboard a vessel, including those related to preventing the spread of infectious diseases (like COVID-19).  Although no one can totally control the spread of a disease, they can take several precautions to prevent its spread aboard a vessel, such as the following: Provide proper disinfectant […]

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