Accidents Persist in One of the Most Dangerous Jobs: Commercial Fishing

Commercial fishing accidents continue to put seamen in harm's way.

2012-01-13

January 13, 2012 (Press-News.org) Though the commercial fishing industry is governed by many state and federal safety regulations, workers continue to be severely injured or killed while on the job. Seamen assigned to work on trawlers have recently been at particular risk of work-related injury or fatality. Fortunately, seamen are able to use the protections afforded them by the Jones Act to hold their employers accountable for accidents involving commercial fishing trawlers.

Trawler Accidents

One harrowing example of how dangerous commercial fishing can be is the Alaska Ranger accident. In 2008, the fishing trawler crashed off the shore of the Aleutian Islands while on a trip to catch mackerel. The ship lost rudder control, began taking on water and called for mayday in the wee hours of the morning. Though 42 people were saved by the Coast Guard and the crew of the Ranger's sister ship, the Alaska Warrior, five crewmen lost their lives, including the captain of the ship, his mate, the chief engineer, one crewman and the ship's fish master.

Unfortunately, accidents involving fishing trawlers like the Alaska Ranger are not uncommon in the nation's waters. Two fishing trawler accidents occurred within a month of each other off the coast of Connecticut this summer. Both involved privately-owned pleasure boats that were totaled as a result of the collision with the commercial trawlers.

Preventative Safety

The prevalence of fishing trawler accidents calls for a renewed interest in commercial fishing safety and legal protections for those who are injured in such accidents. State and federal law requires certain safety equipment to be in place on every commercial vessel. This includes life preservers, life boats and distress signal devices. The Coast Guard may penalize owners of vessels that are not compliant with the regulations, but also offers free, voluntary examinations of vessels for owners who are not sure if their ships are compliant with safety regulations. The Coast Guard does not cite for any safety violation discovered during a voluntary examination, gives the owner time to fix the problem, and will come back to reexamine the vessel.

Accountability

Fortunately, federal law also protects the seamen who work aboard commercial fishing vessels like fishing trawlers. In the event of an injury or death, seamen and their families may hold employers liable for any damages caused by the incident under the Jones Act, which establishes employer liability in the commercial fishing industry.

If a seaman is injured while performing work duties aboard a ship on land, he or she may bring a lawsuit against employers for negligence, including improper maintenance of ship equipment and machinery. If you or a loved one has been injured in a fishing trawler accident consider speaking with an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you explore your legal options.

Article provided by Kraft Palmer Davies, PLLC
Visit us at www.admiralty.com

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Injury Attorneys at McCann Schaible & Wall Urge Support of S.B. 1339

2012-01-13

The personal injury attorneys at McCann Schaible & Wall, LLC encourage Pennsylvanians to contact their state representatives in support of S.B. 1339. The bill would raise the minimum auto policy limits from from $15,000 per person/$30,000 per accident and $5,000 in property damage to $30,000 per person/$60,000 per accident and $10,000 in property damage. These limits have been in place since 1974 and dictate the minimum amount of coverage which is required for Pennsylvania motorists to be fully insured. This proposal would benefit all motorists in Pennsylvania, ...

$2M Medical Malpractice Verdict in Pennsylvania

2012-01-13

Case caption Bargas v. Blakeley et al Case number 30010 of 2009 Court of Common Pleas Lawrence County PA Dominick Motto President Judge presiding Plaintiffs' Attorneys Deborah Maliver M.D., J.D., Christine Biancheria Esq. Defense Attorney Daniel Carroll Esq. On Monday night after a six day trial in front of the Honorable Dominick Motto, it only took a jury two and a half hours to award a $2Million verdict to a 32 year old nurse and mother of three small children. In May of 2008, after experiencing what she thought was hemorrhoidal bleeding, Sarah Bargas went to ...

U.S. News Awards Kathleen M. Newman + Assoc. Prestigious Tier One Ranking

2012-01-13

U.S. News recently released its comprehensive "Best Law Firms" rankings for the 2011-2012 year. The new rankings are based on an unprecedented review process, incorporating some 3.9 million evaluations of individual law firms collected from clients, other lawyers and leaders in particular practice areas. Clients were asked to rate firms based on six criteria: expertise, responsiveness, understanding of a business and its needs, civility, cost-effectiveness and whether they would refer another client to the firm in the future -- peer review from other attorneys ...

Construction Workers Experience More Workplace Injuries than Peers

2012-01-13

A new study published by the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) reveals a startling contrast in the rate of injury and death for those in the construction industry versus those in other industries. This data reflects similar trends in data from the Centers from Disease Control (CDC) and highlights the need for contractors to be highly aware of the safety risks that surround their workers and take immediate and thorough action to protect workers from unsafe equipment, behaviors and work sites in order to facilitate a workplace that anticipates human error. CPWR ...

Prompt Proofing Blog Post: Marketing Tips for Small - and Large! - Businesses - Email Marketing

2012-01-13

As promised last week, our second blog post each month will focus on marketing tips for your business - large or small; first up - email marketing. If you are not already doing this, then you should start now; email marketing is seriously cost-effective. Build your own email database and ensure that your selected recipients are willing to receive your communications by having them confirm their subscription. Resist the temptation to bombard your subscribers with emails; this can lead to 'unsubscribe' requests very quickly! Once a week, or maybe twice a month, is ...

Mastering the Art of Success

2012-01-13

Dr. Jo Anne White, international speaker, author and certified professional coach, debuts her new book, Mastering the Art of Success; from Tennessee based Insight Publishing. The book also features best-selling authors Les Brown (The Power of Purpose), Mark Victor Hansen (Chicken Soup for the Soul), Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Success Principle). White, Brown, Hansen, and Canfield, are joined by other well known authors, health and business experts, and professionals, each offering time-tested strategies for success in frank and intimate interviews. Known ...

The Laser Warehouse Institutes Cosmetic Laser Parts Stocking Program to Speed Repair Times for Med Spas and Medical Practitioners

2012-01-13

The Laser Warehouse, the leading aftermarket reseller of used cosmetic lasers, used aesthetic lasers and other aesthetic equipment has instituted a new program to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. In an effort to minimize costs, speed repair time and the availability of high quality aftermarket equipment for customers, The Laser Warehouse has implemented the T20 program to stock replacement parts and supplies for the top 20 cosmetic lasers, aesthetic laser systems and IPL equipment in the market today. One market research study shows that the demand for cosmetic ...

Have Some Unexpected Holiday Guest Left You Scratching Your Head?

2012-01-13

Now that the tree is put away and the house has returned to normal have you noticed that your head is a little itchy? With all the extra hugs and photos taken during the holidays, it's easier than ever to receive that unwanted gift that just keeps on giving. According to Paula Salas, owner of Kooty Katchers, a lice removal service that specializes in The Shepherd Method of Strand-by-Stand Nit Removal, calls have been coming in from all over the metro area with concerns of overly itchy heads as parents fanatically claim that they have found what looks like head lice. ...

Florida Lawn Service Debuts, Servicing as the Premier Lawn Care Company for the Tampa, Brandon, Port Richey, Valrico, Orlando, Tallahassee and Lutz Areas

2012-01-13

Florida Lawn service offers the best in Lawn care service's for your yard or business. They mow, edge, trim bushes, trim trees, pressure wash, clean gutters, plant flowers and make flower beds. Their Florida Lawn service professionals are the best in the business. They are well known because of our dedication to our clients and our dedication to their yards. They never cut corners and always prove themselves as dedicated professionals. Each yard is different and as such should be treated with a unique game-plan. Florida Lawn Service technicians are well experienced and ...

Hocking Hills' 47th Annual Famed Winter Hike Slated for Jan. 21; Region Offers Best Seasonal Treks, Tips for Winter Hikers

2012-01-13

January 21 is the date for 2012 Annual Winter Hike. The six-mile trek from Old Man's Cave to Ash Cave draws thousands of hikers each year to experience southeast Ohio's most spectacular scenery. The hike features continuous starts from 9-11 a.m. Hot bean soup is served midway at Cedar Falls for a donation and a shuttle bus will return hikers from Ash Cave to the parking lot at Old Man's Cave. Hikers are advised to wear layered clothing and good traction footwear, as snow and ice can make the trail slippery. They're also encouraged to bring a camera to record the region's ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Tiny metal figurines from Sardinia's Nuragic civilization in around 1,000 BC reveal extensive ancient Mediterranean metal trading networks

Natural microfibers may degrade differently to synthetic materials under simulated sunlight exposure in freshwater and seawater conditions, with implications for how such pollutants affect aquatic lif

Indian new mums report better postpartum wellbeing when their own mum acts as their primary support - while women whose mother-in-law is the primary caregiver instead report significantly lower overal