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Maritime News

The New Orleans Jones Act attorneys at The Young Firm represent injured maritime workers. We post summaries of news stories about maritime law and accidents that affect seamen in the Gulf Mexico and beyond. If you've been injured while working at sea, The Young Firm has the resources to help you. Call 866-938-6113 to learn more.

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Maritime Law

Crewman dies in Houston tugboat accident
Feb 12, 2010
Four miles of the Houston Ship Channel remain closed after the 56-foot tug boat, the J.R. Nichols sank on Wednesday evening.

The tugboat sank around 10:30 pm on February 10 in the Houston Ship Channel near the Sims Bayou Turning Basin. Five seamen were aboard when the vessel sank. Four were rescued and treated for hypothermia. The body of the fifth crewmember was recovered on Thursday by TNT salvage company divers. His name has not been released.

The waterway was closed from the dock at Vopack in Galena Park to Sims Bayou, the upper stretch of the ship channel near the 610 bridge, for clean up and recovery efforts. The tug had over 10,000 gallons of diesel fuel onboard. Approximately 1,000 gallons of diesel were spilled.

The cause of the sinking is under investigation. The Coast Guard plans to raise the ship as soon as weather allows.

Seamen who are injured while on the job are entitled to compensation under Jones Act Law if they can prove that their accident was caused by negligence. An attorney who specializes in the Jones Act and maritime law can help. The New Orleans based maritime attorneys at The Young Firm represent injured seamen from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Texas and workers who have been injured in the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River.
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Injured Port Arthur barge workers sue tanker owner after collision
Feb 08, 2010
Three men are suing the owners of the crude oil tanker M/V Eagle Otome for injuries they sustained after the tanker hit the barge they were working on.

The collision occurred on January 23, 2010 in the Port Arthur ship channel. The Eagle Otome veered out of control and pushed into the barge as it was being pushed by a tugboat near the Port of Port Arthur. The Eagle Otome was carrying 570,000 barrels of high sulfur Venezuelan crude oil to the Exxon Mobil oil refinery. Approximately 450,000 gallons of crude oil spilled into the waterway and dangerous hydrogen sulfate fumes were released. The neighborhoods near the Port were evacuated because of the fumes.

Barge workers Eric Delahoussaye, Gerald Dwyer and Timothy Jacquet of Port Arthur have filed a suit claiming they were injured in the accident. Delahoussaye and Dwyer susteained severe and permanent injuries to their backs and necks and also suffered from the exposure to and inhalation of hydrogen sulfate. Jacquet suffered severe and permanent injuries to his back and pelvis as well as exposure to and inhalation of hydrogen sulfate. The men are asking for compensation for medical costs, lost wages, physical incapacity and disability and loss of enjoyment of life among other damages.

The maritime lawsuit accuses American Eagle Tankers, the owners of the Eagle Otome, for causing the accident with negligence and gross negligence. The men are seeking $15 million in damages.

Every day, 150 barges and 15 tankers pass through the waterway.
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Lawsuit filed after exposed wire electrocutes harbor worker
Feb 02, 2010
Nicholas Boudreaux, a Louisiana ship yard worker, has filed a lawsuit against Conrad Industries, Inc. alleging a breach of General Maritime Law and the Longshore and Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act.

Boudreaux was an employee of Superior Energies in late 2007 when he was injured while working aboard a ferry that was docked at a Conrad Industries ship yard in Morgan City, Louisiana. Conrad Industries had hired Superior Energies to install insulation on the boat.

Boudreaux was installing insulation when he reached into an overhead area and his hand came into contact with a wire running from the ship’s generator to an overhead light. The insulation around the wiring had been removed, allegedly by the defendant.

Boudreaux suffered a ruptured disc because of the accident and is still undergoing treatment.

The lawsuit accuse Conrad Industries of negligence and states that the company failed to provide a safe place to work, failed to inspect the electrical wiring on the vessel, failed to repair existing wiring after damaging it, and failed to coordinate the repair work occurring on the ship so that the electrical wiring was repaired prior to the installation of insulation.

Boudreaux is seeking damages for his physical impairment, pain, suffering, mental anguish, medical expenses, loss of income and pre- and post-judgment interest.
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Injured seaman sues towing company
Jan 19, 2010
Seaman Paul E. Parfait has filed suit against Danielle Marine Towing and Lorris G. Towing II Corporation of Cutoff, Louisiana, alleging that he was injured due to the unseaworthiness of the vessel on which he was working.


The seaman was working on the Luke Guidry Jr., a towboat that operates between Louisiana and Texas. He was performing his regular duties when he was injured on April 13, 2009. The lawsuit does not describe the injury, but alleges that Mr. Parfait suffered physical pain and mental anguish and incurred lost wages because of the incident. He also incurred medical costs, suffered a physical impairment and lost his ability to perform household services.


The complaint also states that Danielle Marine Towing and Lorris G. Towing II Corporation were supposed to provide maintenance and cure for Parfait’s injuries, but have denied payments. Parfait is seeking actual, exemplary and punitive damages, as well as pre- and post- judgment interest, costs and other relief to which he is entitled.


Under general maritime law, the owners of a vessel are required to maintain the vessels seaworthiness. A vessel may be considered unseaworthy if there is unsafe condition aboard the vessel. If this condition causes the seaman injury, the owner of the vessel is liable.
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Worker dies in oil platform fire
Jan 14, 2010
Production halted after a fire broke out aboard Apache Corporation’s East Cameron 2 oil and natural gas platform. The fire left one contract worker dead.

The incident occurred at about 1:30 am on Wednesday, January 13. The processing platform is located two miles off Cameron Parish in south Louisiana. There were three workers aboard the platform at the time.

All three were rescued by a commercial vessel working in the area; however, 34-year-old Frank Richard of Mowata, Louisiana died after being transported to an area hospital. The other two men were treated and released.

The men were employees of Island Operating Company. The company, based in Lafayette, Louisiana, runs facilities for Apache and other energy companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico.

The U.S. Coast Guard and Louisiana State Police are working with Apache to assess the damage at the site. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

The Cameron 2 Processing platform processes about 7.7 million cubic feet of gas and 850 barrels of oil each day. It is one of over 4,000 oil and natural gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.

In 2008, eleven workers died on offshore platforms. Those who work offshore are protected by the Jones Act and other maritime laws. Contact the New Orleans maritime attorneys at The Young Firm to learn more.
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Port closed after containers of explosive material punctured
Jan 12, 2010
Although a hazardous materials spill at the port in Morehead City, North Carolina was contained, officials closed the port and recommended evacuation of the downtown area.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the incident occurred in the early morning of January 12. A forklift unloading a vessel punctured containers containing the compound pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN). PETN is used as an explosive by the military and has industrial and medical applications.

There were no injuries or damage to the environment. The mayor of Morehead City advised residents to evacuate west or to stay home and keep windows and doors closed. A 300-yard safety zone was established around the port.

Dockworkers handle a variety of explosive and toxic materials. Their safety depend on proper training, good safety equipment, the actions of co-workers, and the maintenance of the facility. If something goes wrong, their lives are put at risk.

Dockworkers may also experience health problems due to long term exposure to asbestos or lead.

If you are a dockworker and have been injured by a dangerous chemical or if you are experiencing health problems because you were exposed to toxic chemicals, you may be eligible for damages under the Longshore and Harbor Workers Act. An attorney experienced in maritime law can best advise you on how to get fair compensation. Contact New Orleans’ maritime law specialists at The Young Firm for more information.
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Boating accident victim awarded $3.2 million for brain injury
Dec 01, 2009
An appellate court has upheld a $3.2 million maritime law judgment awarded to an Omaha man who suffered severe brain injury after going overboard in a Cayman Island boating accident in 2003. The award covers the man’s medical bills, lost income, and on-going care.

The man, Daniel Doyle, who was 49-years-old at the time, was thrown off a 70-horsepower, 14-foot long inflatable boat when it suddenly veered as the driver powered it up to speed in the Caribbean Sea. The boat circled, and then it hit Doyle on the head and fractured 11 ribs on his right side.

The brain injury did not occur from the hit to the head, but rather from the broken ribs. The fractured ribs caused a caved-in chest which cut off the oxygen supply to Doyle’s brain.

Because of the brain injury, Doyle, a former mechanical engineer, is no longer able to work. He is coherent and aware of what is going on around him, but now requires extensive, constant care.

Leland Graske, a friend of Doyle’s, was the driver of the boat. He is currently seeking damages from the mechanic who did work on the steering wheel of the boat only days before the accident. The veer that caused the accident came after a nut and bolt in the steering linkage came loose.

Doyle’s wife, Anne, was awarded $750,000 for the loss of her husband’s comfort and companionship.
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Four American companies charged with negligence in Mexican oil rig explosion
Oct 24, 2009
Seventeen residents of Mexico filed a personal injury and wrongful death maritime lawsuit against four American companies, Gulf Coast Marine and Associates Inc., Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Halliburton Company, and Mathews-Daniel Company. The companies are being held accountable for an offshore oil platform explosion that killed 22 workers and injured 63.

On October 23, 2007, as a tropical storm was brewing, a mobile oil platform collided with a stationary platform in the Bay of Campeche, Mexico. The collision caused an uncontrollable oil and gas leak. The mobile oil platform exploded with 73 workers, employees of Petroleos Mexicanos, on board.

Employees donned lifejackets and began to board lifeboats; however, because of strong waves from the impending storm, the lifeboats began to collapse. Employees were 16 miles offshore for up to 20 hours awaiting rescue in pre-storm conditions. Many drowned at sea.

The employees allege that the American companies were negligent for failing to safely position the platform and for the lack of proper supervision, proper equipment, maintenance of equipment, timely rescue and for not considering updated sea-floor information when positioning the platform.

Matthews-Daniel Company was involved in pre-construction risk-assessment and location approvals. Halliburton and Schlumberger Technology manufactured safety valves and sensors used on the platform. Gulf Coast Marine made the decision to tow the mobile platform despite an approaching storm.

The lawsuit is seeking damages for post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, future pain and suffering, mental anguish, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, medical expenses, funeral and burial expenses, loss of companionship, maintenance and support, pre- and post-judgment interest, and attorney’s fees.
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Coast Guard suspends search for two fishermen missing from sunken ship
Oct 23, 2009
The search for two Maine fishermen who have been lost since Tuesday, was called off last night. The fishermen were lost when their 34-foot commercial fishing vessel, Bottom Basher, sank.

There were three crewmen on board. The body of Darryl Cline of Maciasport, ME was recovered on Wednesday. Crewman Norman Johnson and the boats owner, Joseph Jones, are still missing.

The men were reported overdue on Tuesday at 10pm. A search soon found a debris field. The debris indicates that the boat broke apart and sank. The debris showed no evidence of fire, but as no piece was larger than a kitchen table, it was determined that something catastrophic happened; perhaps the boat snagged on an obstruction on the sea floor. Investigators will use the debris to determine the cause of the sinking.

U.S. Coastguard Captain James McPherson explained that with air temperatures of 36 degrees and water temperatures of 47 degrees, efforts were targeting recovery rather than rescue. The search was suspended after two full night and two full day searches.

Commercial fishermen have dangerous jobs. Unfortunately, accidental death is a real risk. There is also the risk of death due to negligence, substandard equipment, inadequate maintenance, or insufficient training. A life lost at sea can not be recovered. However, if you have lost a love one, you may be entitled to compensation. There are numerous maritime laws that cover commercial fishermen and their families. Call our Gulf Coast maritime lawyers at 866-983-6113 for a free case analysis.

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Fishing boat sinks after rudder loss
Oct 05, 2009
The National Safety Transportation Board announced this week that the Alaska Ranger, a fishing boat that sunk off the coast of Alaska in March 2008, most probably lost its rudder and then flooded before sinking. Five crew members were killed.


The fishing boat had a crew of 47. The captain, chief engineer and mate were among the victims when the vessel in sank in the Bering Sea, west of Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The fishing boat is now under 6,000 feet of water. It has not been examined by safety inspectors.


Alaska’s fisheries are especially treacherous. Last October, seven crew members died when another fishing vessel, Katmai, sank in the sea off Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.


The fishing industry has the highest rates of occupational deaths, more than 35 times the national average. NSTB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman said, “It’s not called ‘Deadliest Catch’ for no reason,” and explained that current fishing industry laws do a better job of protecting the quality of fish than they do the safety of fishermen. The NSTB is calling for more protection for fishing workers under maritime law.


Congress is currently considering new safety laws for fishing vessels. The NSTB would also like to see Congress impose mandatory safety inspections on commercial fishing boats. Currently, inspections are voluntary and courtesy inspections are offered by the Coast Guard.
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