Resources

Texas Workboat Accident Lawyer – Supply Vessels, Crew Boat and Work Boat Injuries Rough seas, high winds, bad weather and other hazards can subject workers on supply vessels and crew boats to dangerous conditions. Unfortunately, crew members can be injured while operating in these rough seas, while loading and unloading cargo and transferring workers in personnel baskets back and forth from supply boats to the decks of platforms and drilling rigs. Drilling companies and operators often push crew boats and supply vessels beyond what is safe in order to get the job done as quickly as possible. These actions can result in serious injuries and deaths to workers involved in these types of maritime operations. When accidents occur on work boats and supply vessels, the injured seaman is generally protected under the Jones Act and other General Maritime Laws. The worker, however, should still consult with a Houston workboat accident lawyer to make sure they receive ample compensation. Supply ships and vessels are designed to carry a wide variety of cargo. Casing, drill pipe, tubing and other types of cargo are transported in open deck space while large amounts of fuel, drilling fluids and cement and liquid mud are held in tanks beneath the deck. Crew boats are primarily used to transport fresh crew members to offshore drilling platforms, jack up rigs, drilling ships and other vessels and return other crews back to port or another rig or boat. These workboats require strenuous labor, and injuries to workers are common. […]

READ MORE

Let Our Texas Maritime Slip and Fall Lawyer Help After an Accident Slip and fall incidents happen all the time on ships, barges, oil rigs, platforms and other types of maritime vessels. These types of accidents are often serious and can even be deadly. Crew members and other maritime workers must deal with slippery conditions on deck, such as ice, oil and other residue, which can cause a worker to tumble, slip, fall overboard or be crushed by a vessel or piece of heavy machinery not properly secured. When a maritime employee is injured in a fall accident, the employee may suffer from tremendous pain, preventing him from returning to work for an extended period of time. If you are a seaman who has been recently injured in a fall accident, it critical to seek legal advice as soon possible. An experienced Texas maritime lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and fight for the financial compensation you need to recover from your injury. Ladders and Stairs: Common Locations for an Accident Accidents involving ladders and stairs are common in the maritime industry. Falls from ladders and steps can result in serious workplace injuries, including fractures, head trauma, internal injuries, paralysis, and death. These types of accidents cause individuals to lose significant time from work and sometimes the injuries can be permanent and life-altering. If you are a worker who has been injured in a ladder or stair accident, it is critical to contact a maritime fall attorney as […]

READ MORE

Texas Crane Accident Attorney for Injured Maritime Workers Maritime workers are exposed to hazardous conditions every day. These individuals must use or work around dangerous equipment and tools, including heavy cranes and other machinery, to get the job done. Unfortunately, individuals who work on or around cranes are often involved in serious accidents. Whether the crane is used in an offshore drilling operation or to load machinery and other supplies onto a supply boat, ship or vessel at sea, severe injuries, including death, can result when workers are not properly protected. When the worst happens, it’s important to contract a Texas crane accident attorney to help protect your rights. Cranes are difficult and dangerous pieces of machinery that require highly skilled operators, proper maintenance, and appropriate safety equipment. When a crane is used in a maritime operation, all types of accidents and injuries can occur, including: Crush injuries when an individual is pinned Loss of limbs Personnel basket injuries resulting from loading and off-loading workers Wind and high seas accidents Crane collapses and falls Rigging accidents when a load is not properly secured Negligent hookups Laws Protect Your Right to Compensation If you are a maritime worker who has been injured in an accident involving a crane or other type of heavy equipment, you may have the right to recover legal compensation for your injuries via a workers compensation claim or an injury lawsuit. The Jones Act is a federal statute that protects seamen who are injured or become ill […]

READ MORE

Texas Recreational Boating Accident Lawyer Recreational boating accidents are common. A relaxing and fun day on the lake, river or ocean, can quickly turn into a nightmare when a boat or personal watercraft, such as a jet ski overturns, collides with another watercraft, or is involved in some other type of accident. Innocent third parties who are not even on the watercraft can be struck or run over. The injuries in these types of accidents can be severe, including bone fractures, spinal cord injuries, lacerations, burns, head trauma and death. The Willis Law Firm has decades of experience helping injury victims and their families recover the full financial compensation they are legally entitled to receive. Our firm represents clients nationwide who have been injured in a broad range of recreational, fishing and pleasure boating accidents, including accidents involving: Untrained/inexperienced boaters Drivers operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol Speeding and other reckless behaviors Defective designs and components Operating during dangerous weather Operating in uncharted areas with underwater hazards Improperly maintained or unsafe watercrafts Lack of sufficient safety or lifesaving equipment on board Underage Boat Operators Lack of the Use of a Spotter Negligence Lawsuits If you have been harmed in a recreational boating accident, you may be able to pursue legal action against multiple parties legally responsible for your injuries. For instance, you may be able to file a negligence lawsuit against the driver of the watercraft. Depending upon the facts of your case, you may also be able […]

READ MORE

Maritime Workers Turn to Us When They Need a Texas Tugboat Accidents Lawyer Every year thousands of maritime employees are injured while working on tugs, towboats, and barges. As our tug boat accident law firm frequently sees, these injuries are often very severe, preventing maritime workers from returning to their original jobs.  The tankerman and deckhands that work on tugboats can be injured by many different hazards and conditions, including: Falls on old or worn out stairs and ladders Exposure to toxic chemicals, benzene, and asbestos products Absence of a gangway Overworked and/or unsupervised crews Cable accidents Winch accidents Lifting accidents Oily and slippery conditions on ladders, decks, and stairs Inadequate or poor lighting Inexperienced or improperly trained crews Negligence and reckless behavior of crew members Collisions with other vessels and barges Operating in bad weather conditions Tugboat Accident Statistics According to the Tugboat, Towboat & Barge Industry Association, “[t]he tugboat, towboat and barge industry is the largest segment of the U.S. domestic maritime industry, employing more than 33,000 American mariners aboard its vessels.” Unfortunately, while this means that there are lots of jobs available onboard tugboats throughout the United States, it also means that there are a significant number of tugboat accidents each year. The good news is that tugboat and barge accidents are relatively uncommon compared to other forms of freight transportation. For every one fatal accident involving a tugboat and/or barge, there are 18 fatal railway accidents and 132 fatal 18-wheeler accidents. Even so, tugboat accidents are […]

READ MORE

Longshoreman & Harbor Workers Compensation Act – (LHWCA) If a dock worker or stevedore is injured while unloading a ship or his injuries occurred on a offshore drilling rig platform, then his compensation may be governed under the Longshoreman & Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA). The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, provides medical benefits, compensation for lost wages and rehabilitation services to longshoremen, harbor workers and other maritime workers who are injured during the course of employment or suffer from diseases caused or worsened by conditions of employment. The Act is a federal law that was enacted to provide for those employees in occupations having a traditional relationship to maritime employment injured while loading or unloading vessels, or those involved in the construction or repair of ships. Any worker who is injured on a pier, dry dock, wharf or shipping terminal may be compensated under the Act. Workers injured near these facilities may also be compensated if their normal occupation involves loading, unloading, building or repairing ships. If you are a seaman and have been injured on a ship or vessel and your employer is not paying your medical bills, refusing to send you to a medical specialist or not paying you maintenance, then call us for a FREE CONFIDENTIAL CONSULTATION at 1-800-468-4878. What Does the LHWCA State? The act was initially passed by the United States Congress in 1927, and provided coverage to longshore workers working upon navigable waters of the […]

READ MORE

Let a Texas Jones Act Negligence Attorney from Willis Law Manage Your Lawsuit If you a worker who was involved in an offshore platform, jack-up rig, ship, tugboat, crew boat, barge, fishing boat, or other type of vessel accident, you may be able to recover damages for your injuries from your employer. The Jones Act, 46 U.S.C. 688, is a law enacted by Congress that protects members of the crew of a ship or vessel. Under the Jones Act, marine employers can be held liable for the work-related injury or death of an employee. Claims under the Jones Act are federal causes of action which means that Congress intended for all seamen’s injuries across the nation to be guided by the same Jones Act negligence and liability standards. Employer Liability for Negligence Under The Jones Act When a seaman is injured in the course or scope of employment, the Jones Act gives the seaman the right to sue his or her employer for negligence damages. It is very important to understand that proving negligence in a Jones Act claim is very different from proving negligence in an ordinary negligence case. In an ordinary negligence claim you must prove that the defendant’s negligent actions were the primary cause of your injuries. In a Jones Act suit, the burden of proof is much lower. You only need to prove your employer’s negligence had a role in causing your injuries. This means that even if your employer’s actions only played a very small part […]

READ MORE

Maritime Law Explained by Our Jones Act Law Firm in Texas What is the Jones Act? The Jones Act, 46 U.S.C. 688 (1970), is an Act of Congress, which governs the liability of vessel operators and marine employers for the work-related injury or death of an employee. It is a federal cause of action, meaning that the United States Congress intended for all seamen’s injuries throughout the nation to be guided by the same liability standards. Although the act protects seamen, it is not the same as workers’ compensation. It does not require that maintenance & cure payment are paid to the injured seaman, regardless of fault. In order to have a separate Jones Act Lawsuit however, a worker must prove some negligence or fault on the part of the vessel’s owners, operators, officers, and/or fellow employees or by reason of any defect in the vessel, its gear, tackle, or equipment. If you are a seaman and have been injured on a ship or vessel and your employer is not paying your medical bills, refusing to send you to a medical specialist or not paying your maintenance, then call our Jones Act law firm in Houston for a Free Confidential Consultation at 1-800-468-4878. In essence, the Jones Act provides an injured seaman a remedy under maritime law against his or her employers for injuries arising from negligent acts of the employer or co-workers during the course of employment on a vessel. This means that the employer must do something unreasonable […]

READ MORE

David Willis is a maritime injury attorney in Texas with over 40 years’ experience helping workers recover the financial compensation they deserve. When you work with your hands for a living, getting hurt on the job can mean substantial time missed from work and financial strain for your family. If you cannot work, you need another source of income, and fortunately, maritime laws provide special protections for longshoremen, seamen and other maritime workers. But, securing benefits under these laws can be difficult. The insurance companies do not pay willingly, and if you need to prove fault or unseaworthiness to succeed with your claim, you will need an experienced Houston maritime injury lawyer who can effectively present your claim for compensation. Maritime attorney David Willis has more than 40 years’ of experience representing maritime workers and their families. He has recovered millions of dollars in compensation from some of the largest offshore and maritime employers in the maritime industry, and he pursues every claim with the personal attention needed to maximize each client’s financial recovery. When you need to seek compensation for a maritime injury, the Willis Law Firm is your choice for experienced and aggressive legal representation. We serve clients nationwide, especially the maritime hubs of Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. When Should You Hire a Texas Maritime Injury Lawyer? For many maritime workers, the decision to hire an attorney does not come easily. In many cases, they are worried that filing a claim could jeopardize their employment, […]

READ MORE

BOARD CERTIFIED PERSONAL INJURY TRIAL LAWYER Texas Board of Legal Specialization BACKGROUND David P. Willis is a graduate of Baylor University (1978) and the South Texas College of Law (1982). He served as a briefing attorney on the Supreme Court of Texas (1983-1984), and is currently a member of the State Bar of Texas, New York State Bar, Texas Bar Foundation, and American Association for Justice. He has been a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer since 1988, certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, U.S. Patent Holder # 4,673,202. In 2015 he was elected as a member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States (MLA). CASES ACCEPTED In most instances, the new client enters into a contingency fee contract with Willis & Associates. This means that only upon successfully securing an award or settlement for our client does Willis & Associates receive its fee and expenses. In essence, “There is no fee or expenses charged for our services if there is no recovery to you.” In some cases, Mr. Willis will involve additional Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyers and others as co-counsel to assist in specific cases, especially in cases where other firms’ expertise in a particular matter strengthens and accelerates the case through the legal system. This assembling of a team of lawyers for our client does not increase fees to the client “one red cent.” With this team effort, the client’s case is often resolved in a shorter period of time and with […]

READ MORE