Port of Mobile

Injured While Working at the Port of Mobile? Schedule a Free Consultation Today.

Located on the Mobile River, the Port of Mobile is the only deep-water port in Alabama. With direct access to the Gulf of Mexico via the Mobile Bay, the Port of Mobile is one of the busiest ports in the entire United States – ranking as high as ninth in terms of overall trade volume in 2008. While its ranking has slipped slightly in recent years, the Port of Mobile is poised to see an increase in container ship traffic with the opening of the Panama Canal Expansion in 2016.

Along with major highway and railroad access, the Port of Mobile offers access to inland and intercostal waterways reaching as the Great Lakes and the Ohio and Tennessee River Valleys. This makes the Port of Mobile a desirable access point for manufacturers, retailers and shipping companies targeting final destinations throughout the United States. The Port of Mobile is also a busy point of departure for coal, lumber and other materials and products that get shipped from the United States all over the world.

Jones Act Lawyer for Workers Injured at the Port of Mobile

Unfortunately, due to the high volume of ships, trucks, tugs, barges, containers and cargo that pass through the Port of Mobile on a daily basis, many workers get injured at this important port every year. Accidents on land and in the Mobile River regularly leave longshoremen, stevedores, tankermen, barge workers, seamen and other maritime workers suffering from serious – and in many cases life-changing – injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured at the Port of Mobile, maritime injury attorney David Willis is here to help you fight for just compensation. Attorney David Willis has more than 40 years of experience helping clients secure compensation under the Jones Act and federal maritime injury laws. No matter what happened, after a port or maritime accident, it is important to learn about your legal rights. At the Willis Law Firm, we offer free consultations, and we want to make sure you have the information you need to seek the compensation you deserve.

Key Facts about the Port of Mobile

The Port of Mobile and the other facilities managed by the Alabama State Port Authority comprise approximately 4,000 acres across multiple sites, including the Port of Mobile’s main complex, McDuffie Island, Choctaw Point and multiple inland docks. The Alabama State Port Authority reports that its ports (including the Port of Mobile) either directly or indirectly supports nearly 125,000 jobs in Alabama, and bring the state more than $19 billion in economic value.

Key imports and exports at the Port of Mobile include:

Port of Mobile Imports

  • Aluminum
  • Cement
  • Chemicals
  • Coal
  • Containers
  • Copper
  • Iron
  • Lumber and plywood
  • Oversized cargo
  • Paper
  • Steel

Port of Mobile Exports

  • Chemicals
  • Coal
  • Containers
  • Flooring
  • Frozen poultry
  • Iron
  • Lumber and plywood
  • OSB
  • Oversized cargo
  • Paper
  • Steel
  • Soybean

A maritime or offshore injury does not have to ruin your life. To find out if you have a claim for compensation, schedule your free consultation at the Willis Law Firm today and discuss your rights under the Jones Act and other applicable maritime laws.

Barge vs. Tugboat: The Difference Explained by an Alabama Barge Accident Attorney

Barges and tugboats are often confused with one another because they serve similar purposes and are regularly used together. 

A barge is a flat-bottom boat that is used primarily to transport heavy goods on rivers and canals. They often look like a very large raft and typically do not have a motor or other source of power.

Tugboats, on the other hand, are small boats that are typically used to pull barges or disabled vessels. They can also be employed to steer larger ships through narrow canals and other passageways or as ice breakers to clear a path for those vessels. 

How Barge Accidents Happen

As an Alabama barge accident attorney, we can attest that accidents happen – and they happen all the time. Like other types of accidents, mishaps on barges can happen in a number of different ways and be caused by a wide range of factors. There are certain features of working on a barge, like being exposed to heavy machinery, large loads of goods and long hours on the job that can increase the risk of an accident.

One common theme in barge accidents is shoddy or malfunctioning tools and equipment. Whether it is a cluttered deck that leads to a trip and fall, a malfunctioning crane that causes a person to be crushed or improper safety equipment that makes an accident worse, barge workers often suffer serious injuries that can cut their careers short and change their lives.

Then there are the people operating the equipment. Negligent training and poor oversight of maritime workers is a recipe for disaster on a barge. It also puts everyone else on the barge at risk.  

Your Rights After A Tugboat Accident in Alabama

The good news is that a person injured in a barge or tugboat accident has the right to seek certain benefits and compensation. An Alabama Tugboat accident lawyer at our firm can help with this process.

The Jones Act is a federal law designed to operate similarly to many state workers’ compensation systems. It establishes a largely “no fault” system in which barge, tugboat and other maritime workers can get medical benefits and compensation without having to prove that their employer or someone else is to blame for an accident. The compensation, typically called “maintenance and cure” may include money for missed wages, future medical expenses, reductions in earning capacity and pain, suffering and emotional distress, in certain situations.

To get that benefits and compensation you have to prove that you are a seaman covered by the Jones Act and that you were injured aboard a vessel.

Common Types of Maritime Injuries After a Barge or Tugboat Accident

If you are employed in Alabama’s maritime industry you know just how serious a maritime accident can be. Whether you work on a tug, barge, cargo ship, fishing boat, jack-up rig, offshore oil rig, platform, dredge or other type of vessel, you are forced to deal with risky and dangerous conditions every day you are on the job. While maritime employers are under a legal duty to protect their employees and provide a safe working environment, far too many employers neglect these duties. When an employer or vessel owner fails to ensure that a work environment is safe for the crew, severe injuries are likely to result, such as:

  • Crushed limbs
  • Amputations
  • Burns
  • Electrocutions
  • Slip and Falls
  • Bulging & Herniated Discs
  • Soft Tissue Injuries
  • Neck and back strains and injuries
  • Exposure to hazardous chemicals and toxins

Learn about Your Rights. Schedule a Free Consultation with Attorney David Willis.

If you would like more information about your rights after suffering a maritime injury at the Port of Mobile, contact the Willis Law Firm and request your free consultation. Licensed in Texas and New York, attorney David Willis represents injured maritime workers in Alabama and nationwide. To speak with attorney David Willis about your claim, please call 1-800-GOT HURT or contact us online today.

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