McAllen Maritime Law Attorneys

Our McAllen Maritime Law Firm Is Known for Fighting for What's Right

For centuries, people have taken to the water to make a living. Since the maritime industry is one of the oldest in the world, it has its own set of laws that govern it. From these laws, modern American acts have been created to enhance them and bring them up to date. For example, vessel owners used to be required to pay only for the living expenses and care injured workers need until they reached maximum recovery. This is known as maintenance and cure. Today, maintenance and cure has been enhanced with the Jones Act, a law that allows workers to seek compensation for the full extent of their injuries if they were caused by negligence of another.

Since maritime law isn’t simple, it requires a law firm that has experience dealing with matters that involve. At Arnold & Itkin LLP, our McAllen maritime lawyers are known for getting the results that injured seamen, harbor workers, and other members of the offshore industry need after serious accidents.

Call our McAllen maritime law firm today at (888) 493-1629 for a free consultation with a team that’s won billions.

Important Maritime Laws for Injured McAllen Workers

The maritime industry is one of the most important economies in Texas. Each day, the men and women who work offshore face treacherous conditions to support the economy and make an honest living for them and their loved ones. When one of these people suffer from a preventable accident, everything is at stake for them.

This should never happen.

At Arnold & Itkin, our McAllen offshore injury lawyers are focused on making a difference for workers suffering after a preventable accident. Time and time again, we’ve heard it before: the accident wasn’t preventable. Yet, over the years, we’ve recovered billions of dollars for clients after showing it was. We help clients recover the finances that accidents have taken away and hold companies accountable, so they don’t make even more people suffer.

Important United States maritime laws include:

• The Jones Act
• Death on the High Seas Act
• Limitation of Liability Act
• Longshoreman & Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act

Importantly, the existence of the laws means one important thing: employers must prevent accidents or face accountability for the damage they cause to workers. Injured harbor workers, seamen, and other workers shouldn’t be left to handle the financial burden on accidents they didn’t cause.

Causes of Offshore Accidents

At Arnold & Itkin, our team has heard large companies deny responsibility for accidents they could have prevented. When a reckless employer fails to train employees, we’ve heard them try to shift the blame. When a manufacturer makes unsafe equipment, we’ve heard them deny that it’s their fault. Yet, we’ve shown that their negligence is usually the only thing that caused an accident.

When innocent offshore workers are blamed for accidents that change their lives, they should be defended. No company should be allowed to get away with failing to provide safe workplaces, neglecting the maintenance of vessels, or blaming their employees for accidents that cause serious injuries and, in the worst cases, death.

Why Offshore & Maritime Injuries Are Serious

When a person sustains an offshore injury, it isn’t something that goes away after a little time of and minimal medical treatment. Offshore work is dangerous, and the injuries workers suffer when something goes wrong are often very serious. In fact, they’re so serious that many workers face a lifetime of medical care, lost wages, and the inability to make a living as they once did.

Common offshore injuries include the following:

• Burns
• Back injuries
• Loss of a limb
• Broken bones
• Disfigurement
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Head trauma
• Crush injuries & impalement

Ultimately, oil and gas companies have a responsibility to protect their workers from these injuries. In a perfect world, when an injury does happen, these companies would do what’s right and provide the compensation that injured offshore workers deserve. Yet, instead of doing this, they try to shift blame and protect their profits as much as possible by paying survivors little to nothing.

The Jones Act & Recovering from Offshore Injures

In 1920, a law that would forever change the maritime industry was passed. Among other things, the Merchant Marine Act, commonly known as the Jones Act, protected offshore workers from negligence. For the first time in the history of the nation’s offshore economy, employers became accountable for financial damages their employees suffered because of their negligence. The Jones Act continues to protect workers to this day.

Damages that can be recovered by the Jones Act include:

• Loss of current/future wages
• Medical bills
• Pain and suffering
• The cost of future care
• Funeral expenses
• Loss of consortium

McAllen Maritime Law FAQ

WHAT IS A JONES ACT VESSEL & SEAMAN?

Simply put, a Jones Act vessel is one that operates in navigable waters between United States ports. A Jones Act vessel can be a fishing boat, cargo ship, or even an offshore oil rig. Jones Act seamen are the people who work on these vessels and contribute to their overall function and mission. For example, an engineer who works on an offshore oil rig would be considered a Jones Act seaman because they contribute to the vessel’s mission.

WHAT ARE COMMON TYPES OF OFFSHORE ACCIDENTS?

Unfortunately, offshore work is dangerous, and accidents are a constant threat to the safety. While there are many types of offshore accidents, the most important aspect of them is liability. Since all accidents are preventable, vessel owners and employers are required to prevent them.

Common types of offshore accidents include the following:

• Diving accidents
• Dangerous equipment
• Barge & dredge explosions
• Fires
• Slip & falls
• Crane failures
• Explosions & fires
• Vessel collisions
• Underwater welding accidents
• Lifting accidents

WILL MY COMPANY HELP ME AFTER AN OFFSHORE ACCIDENT?

While a company might promise to help injured workers after an accident, it’s important to approach them with skepticism. Often, a company will surprise an injured worker by offering a settlement. However, this seemingly generous offer is not always what it seems. Initial settlements are usually much lower than a worker deserves and, once a settlement is accepted, the injured person receiving it will not be able to pursue the compensation they really deserve. It’s always best to speak with Arnold & Itkin LLP during a free consultation before trusting a company’s settlement offer is fair.

Call Our McAllen Maritime Law Firm Now: (888) 493-1629

When you call Arnold & Itkin LLP, you’re turning to a law firm that has a reputation for never settling for less than a client deserves. We investigate every aspect of a case and refuse to let the other side get away with low settlement offers. We’ve recovered billions of dollars for clients by demanding fair settlements or taking the other side to court to obtain the right results.

Importantly, we have extensive experience with maritime law. Over one third of the Deepwater Horizon crew turned to us to get the justice they deserved. When the El Faro sank, grieving families of the crew members lost at sea trusted us to secure justice on behalf of their loved ones. Turning to Arnold & Itkin LLP means turning to a maritime law firm that’s known for results and fights for results, no matter what.

Call our McAllen maritime law firm for a free consultation that will help you discover your options at (888) 493-1629.