Jone's Act Maritime Offshore Injury

Gulf Oil Rig Accidents in Louisiana

February 17, 2016 by Lee Hoffoss

Besides being a rich source of wildlife diversity, the Gulf Coast of Louisiana is also a significant source of oil and gas for the entire country. As of 2012, it was estimated that there nearly 4,000 oil rigs in the Gulf. With a large increase in offshore oil production has come a significant increase in the number of oil rig accidents. Each year, there are about 12,000 worker injury accidents on offshore oil rigs and most were due to non-compliance with rules designed to make rig workers safe.
The job of an oil rig worker is dangerous, even under the best of circumstances. While a lot of attention was paid to the Infamous Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion, which is better known for the massive BP oil spill back in 2010, it also left 11 workers dead and 17 others injured. The fact is, accidents happen too often, and they have a number of causes. Among the most frequent accidents to happen include everything from slips and falls, to struck-by accidents, blowouts, equipment malfunctions, electrocution, oil rig collapses or malfunctions, fires, explosions and even transportation accidents involving boats and helicopters.
Accidents on oil rigs can lead to many types of serious injuries, including broken bones, serious burns, amputations, traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. While some oil rig workers recover within a few weeks, months or years, many others suffer debilitating, sometimes permanent injuries that require many years of treatment and rehabilitation just to get back to being close to normal. In some cases, such accidents lead to a wrongful death.
In many cases, these accidents are preventable and they occur due to someone else’s negligence. These types of cases are very complex and require a thorough investigation into what happened and to discover which parties are responsible. Often, employers and supervisors fail to follow proper regulations and safe practices, but there are often third-parties who are also responsible. For example, perhaps maintenance was supposed to be performed by a third-party service provider and it either wasn’t performed properly or it wasn’t performed at all. Perhaps a piece of equipment malfunctioned because it was defective. It’s possible for such a third-party to be held liable.
There are also several legal structures that apply to working at sea that don’t necessarily apply to those oil and gas workers who labor onshore; maritime laws, such as the Jones Act, the Death on the High Seas Act and others specifically protect offshore maritime workers. Therefore, in order to recover for all losses and damages, you will need an attorney with a strong knowledge of maritime and workplace safety laws, and the experience to know how to apply them and to access the best experts and offshore investigators available. The offshore oil and gas attorneys at Hoffoss Devall have the skills you need to get everything you’re entitled to. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Louisiana Company Sued for Offshore Injury to Worker

August 12, 2015 by Lee Hoffoss

Seamen and dockworkers face numerous hazards in their work. Louisiana employers are required to provide a safe work environment, and many of them do what they can to make that happen. Therefore, it would seem like a simple task to keep the deck of a vessel clear of water and other debris that could result in an offshore injury to maritime workers. Failing to do so could leave a worker with debilitating injuries.
One man claims that this is what happened to him on July 20, 2014. Documents filed in the U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana assert that North American Shipbuilding Inc. employed the man as a fuel rigger. On the day in question, he was assigned to fuel one of Harvey Gulf International Marine’s vessels. While on deck, he says that water and oil on the deck caused him to slip and fall.
He alleges that he suffered back injuries so severe that he is now unable to work. The accident left him with bulging discs in the lumbar region of his back. He blames Harvey Gulf International Marine for failing to provide a safe work environment, among other things.
As would be the case with any other serious offshore injury, the man claims that he has incurred significant medical bills, lost wages and no longer enjoys the same earning capacity as he did prior to the incident. If the court rules that the company was negligent, he could be awarded the damages he seeks. Injuries suffered on navigable waterways are not handled under normal workers’ compensation laws. Therefore, it is crucial for anyone who is injured to gain a clear understanding of his or her rights and responsibilities.

Injured Seaman Files for Benefits Under the Jones Act

July 12, 2015 by Lee Hoffoss

Louisiana residents who work as crew members or officers aboard vessels do not fall under the ordinary workers’ compensation system. A federal law called the Jones Act allows them to file personal injury claims against their employers. It also allows surviving family members to file wrongful death claims in the event their loved one is killed while on the job.
For example, a seaman claims that he suffered injuries to his right ankle, left knee and lower spine in an accident while working on board his employer’s vessel. It is claimed that the nature of his injuries resulted in permanent disability. Seadrill Americas Inc. hired the man as a roustabout. He was then assigned to a deepwater semi-submersible drilling vessel, which is where the accident took place.
The details surrounding the accident were not outlined in the court documents recently filed in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Louisiana. However, the allegations against Seadrill claim that the vessel was not seaworthy, the seaman was not provided with a safe work environment and was not given any warnings regarding certain hazards aboard the vessel. He seeks relief for current and future medical costs, lost wages and other damages.
A federal judge will ultimately determine whether the evidence presented on behalf of the seaman constitutes negligence on the part of Seadrill. First, however, it must be established before the court that man is a seaman as defined in the Jones Act and that the vessel he was aboard at the time of the accident also meets the definition of a vessel as set forth in the Act. A successfully litigated claim could result in an award of all or a portion of the damages he seeks.

Man Suffers an Offshore Injury While Working for Drilling Company

June 9, 2015 by Lee Hoffoss

It takes numerous people to run and maintain a drilling operation off the Louisiana coast. Drilling companies employ a myriad of people, including electronics technicians. One of those technicians suffered an offshore injury during the course of his employment with Seadrill Americas Inc.
On Feb. 18, the electronics technician was assigned to the Sevan Louisiana, which is a vessel that is semi-submersible. At some point, the man fell. He claims in the lawsuit he recently filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana that his right shoulder was injured in the fall.
No further information regarding the accident was provided, but the allegations in the lawsuit claim that his employer failed to keep the vessel free from slipping hazards and spills. He further claims that Seadrill did not provide him with a safe working environment and warnings of potential dangers, among other things. The technician also claims that the Sevan Louisiana was not seaworthy, which led to his injuries.
He is asking for damages, such as lost wages (both past and future), mental and physical pain and suffering, and medical expenses. He further claims that he now suffers a permanent disability that will limit his earning capacity and inhibit his enjoyment of life. If the court determines that his employer was negligent and is responsible for his injuries, it may consider awarding him the damages he seeks under the Jones Act. Companies that employ people to work offshore are required to provide for their safety just as any company on land is required to do. When a worker suffers an offshore injury, he or she retains the right to seek restitution for those injuries and the damages incurred as a result.

Explosion on Offshore Oil Platform Kills 1, Injures 3 More

November 25, 2014 by Lee Hoffoss

Louisiana was the hardest hit state in the BP disaster that emptied somewhere in the neighborhood of 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Therefore, word of any offshore oil platform accident is bound to cause the state’s residents to take notice. Many are most likely paying particular attention to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s (BSEE) report that an explosion occurred on the Echo Platform recently.
The platform is approximately 12 miles off the Louisiana coast. Operations were not being conducted on the platform at the time of the explosion, and it was reportedly contained. So far, there is no evidence that any oil spilled into the Gulf.
However, there were four workers injured in the blast — one of them fatally. The other three were taken to a hospital in the area to be treated for the injuries they suffered. No information was released regarding the nature of their injuries or their current conditions.
Fieldwood Energy — a company based in Texas — owns the platform. A spokesperson for BSEE indicated that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the explosion. More information regarding the incident may be forthcoming in the days and weeks to come.
In the meantime, the workers who survived the accident and the family of the deceased worker may be entitled to benefits under the Jones Act, which provides benefits beyond the traditional workers’ compensation system for those who work on an offshore oil platform. Under the Jones Act, maritime workers are entitled to sue their employers for negligence. Therefore, in addition to receiving benefits through the workers’ compensation system such as medical expenses and lost wages, a separate claim may be appropriate if an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident indicates the employer was negligent in a manner that caused or contributed to the accident.

Man Suffers Fatal Offshore Injury, 2 Others Injured

September 18, 2014 by Lee Hoffoss

Many people work on oil and gas pipelines off the coast of Louisiana. The work can be hazardous for many reasons, the least of which being the volatility of the oil or gas. Workers accept the combustible nature of the liquids and gases they are dealing with and often take precautions to protect themselves from an offshore injury.
Some companies are more diligent than others are when it comes to the safety of the men and women who are direct employees or contractors. However, even the most careful worker and safety-conscious company may still experience an accident. For instance, a contractor died recently and two other people suffered injuries in an accident that occurred on a platform for a natural gas pipeline owned by Chevron Midstream Pipeline LLC. Maintenance was being done at that gas-gathering point when something yet unknown went wrong.
Details of the accident have not yet been released since the investigation into its cause is in progress. However, there seems to be some controversy over whether gas was released at the pipeline or in the water. Whatever the cause of the accident, containment crews made their way to the site in order to deal with the now shut-in pipeline.
Regardless of the cause, one family is now left to find a way to move forward without a loved one. When it comes to the financial repercussions of this fatal offshore injury, the family may be entitled to benefits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers Act. The act works as a workers’ compensation plan for those people who work off the shore of Louisiana, but not on a navigable vessel.