Posts by Latti Associates LLC
Another Chemical Spill, This Time Asphalt
Another Chemical Spill, This Time Asphalt Nearly 11,000 gallons of asphalt spilled into the Mystic River, near Everett, MA, earlier this month. The Coast Guard is monitoring the cleanup efforts. Apparently this spill was caused by a hose failure, but luckily there have been no known environmental impacts. The liquid asphalt has solidified around the…
Read MoreNew Boating Safety Law Passes in New York
A new state law passed in New York requires boaters to take a safe-boating course. It applies to anyone born after May 1996 — which means that this year, every 18-year-old (or younger) boater must be certified. Violations can result in fines of up to $250. Officials say it is not just the requirement, but…
Read MoreCrewmember Falls To Death While Ship Is At Anchor
A crewmember on a 19-ton cargo ship was fatally injured as a result of a fall. The crewman had been working in a steel basket attached, high above the deck, to the on-board electric provision crane. The crewmember was said to be painting at the time of his fall, and the crane was not suitable…
Read MoreCan Power Lines Over The Water Be A Safety Hazard?
Can Power Lines Over The Water Be A Safety Hazard? A pair of harbormaster boats were the first to arrive on the scene when a small boat’s mast struck high-tension power lines over the Weweantic River in Massachusetts last month. There were only two people onboard, and both escaped injury. “It’s short of a miracle…
Read MoreCould Improved Training Help Lower Accident Rates?
Could Improved Training Help Lower Accident Rates? DNV GL, the world’s largest ship and offshore classification society, has declared the dire need for a massive reduction in the number of accidents occurring throughout the shipping industry. Tor Svensen, president of DNV Maritime and Oil & Gas, announced that a trend which had been improving is…
Read MoreFire Disables Tugboat off Rhode Island
Just last week, the 126-foot tugboat Viking was pushing a barge loaded with barrels of gasoline, when an engine fire erupted. The Coast Guard, along with crews from Rhode Island and Massachusetts, responded to distress calls from the disabled tug where it sat helplessly stuck 18 miles east of Rhode Island. The vessel’s onboard fixed…
Read MoreDoes Weather Play a Part in Maritime Safety?
A tugboat captain whose barges collided with a cargo freighter in Texas said the larger vessel “increased its speed in foggy conditions,” making it impossible to avoid the crash. There were no injuries in the accident, but authorities thoroughly examined the evidence during a weeklong hearing, since nearly 170,000 gallons of oil spilled into the…
Read MoreThe Owner Of My Ship Ignores Safety Guidelines. What Can I Do?
The U.S. Coast Guard reports that during a November fishing expedition, a 72-foot trawler and its seven-member crew were 150 miles southeast of Cape Cod, when the engineer noticed loose bolts on the stuffing box housing. The whole unit was moving freely with the propulsion shaft. The owner and port engineer advised the onboard engineer…
Read MoreJoin Us At The Commercial Marine Expo Today
We are at the Commercial Marine Expo today, and it is amazing! There are so many wonderful people, exhibits and demonstrations going on—if you are in the area, why not come on down to the State Pier in New Bedford? We will be here until 4 p.m., and all day tomorrow! As we mentioned last…
Read MoreWhat Should I Do If My Boat Catches Fire?
During a day trip off Cape Disappointment, a Washington-based wooden crab boat caught fire with the skipper and two deckhands on board. One of the deckhands heard odd sounds coming from the engine room. He remembered that the vessel’s hydraulic system, which had been a problem before, had recently been repaired. Just as he entered…
Read MoreOur Lawyers Help Fisherman Secure $925,000 Settlement
In the wake of an incident that left a fisherman with severe injuries, our firm was able to help him recover a $925,000 settlement. Prior to suffering the injuries, the man was working on a boat owned and operated by the Dona Martita Fishing Co. LLC, which is based out of Massachusetts. The incident that…
Read MoreOur Firm Wishes Our Longtime Legal Assistant a Happy Retirement and Thanks Her for 41 Years of Invaluable Service
After 41 years of loyal and excellent service, our longtime administrative assistant, Donna, has retired from the firm. Donna began her career at another law firm, but she made her way to Latti Associates LLC after a co-worker from her prior firm recommended it to her. March 2014 marked Donna’s 41st year working at Latti…
Read More2014 Commercial Marine Expo Coming to New Bedford June 11-12
2014 Commercial Marine Expo Coming to New Bedford June 11-12 The Commercial Marine Expo is set to return to the State Pier in New Bedford, Massachusetts June 11-12, 2014. As the Atlantic Seaboard’s largest commercial marine trade show, the Commercial Marine Expo offers those in the maritime industry the opportunity to see hundreds of exhibitors,…
Read MoreOur Attorneys Recover $800,000 for Injured Fisherman
After a stern ramp door crushed a fisherman’s leg, our firm was able to secure an $800,000 settlement for him. The accident happened while the door was being lowered to set out the fishing net. Due to the severity of his injuries, the 53-year-old was not able to return to work. His injuries were diagnosed…
Read MoreDeck Hand Dies After Fall from Ohio River Ferry
A fall overboard claimed the life of an 81-year-old deck hand, who died after falling off the ferry he was working on, according to Professional Mariner. The accident happened on the Ohio River in between Constance, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio. The 81 year old was a former ferry captain. He had to retire due to…
Read MoreCaptain Facing Unlicensed Operation Charges After Ship Sinks
Captain Facing Unlicensed Operation Charges After Ship Sinks According to a report in Professional Mariner magazine, the captain of a catamaran that capsized has been charged with operating without a license. There were 30 passengers onboard when the custom-built boat sank near downtown Miami. Prior to sinking, the catamaran began to take on water as…
Read MoreFirm Secures $307,500 Settlement for Boating Accident Victim
Our firm was able to secure a $307,500 settlement for a woman who was injured in a boating accident caused by the driver hitting multiple wakes at full speed. Prior to the incident, the woman, her best friend and several other passengers were riding in a vessel being operated by the defendant. They were returning…
Read MoreCoast Guard Rescues Couple After Boat Runs Aground
Coast Guard Rescues Couple After Boat Runs Aground TITUSVILLE, Fla. – The Coast Guard rescued two people Saturday near Mosquito Lagoon after their boat ran aground. Rescued were Dawn MaCain, 32, and James MaCain, 33, from Brevard County. The couple were rescued by a Coast Guard rescue boat crew from Station Cape Canaveral, Fla., and…
Read MoreCoast Guard Searches for Distressed Boaters in the Florida Keys
Coast Guard Searches for Distressed Boaters in the Florida Keys KEY WEST, Fla. – Coast Guard units are actively searching for a vessel and four people after receiving a call Sunday stating that they were in distress. Coast Guard Sector Key West search-and-rescue coordinators received the initial call at approximately 3:30 p.m. Sunday. The boater…
Read MoreIs My Family Safe on a Ferry?
When you take your family on a ferry, you entrust the owners and operators of the vessel with what matters most to you: the lives of your loved ones. This is a responsibility that should never be taken lightly. Unfortunately, not all ferry owners and operators take the necessary precautions to ensure their vessels are…
Read MoreTug-Barge Crewman Killed During Conveyor-Belt Maintenance
According to Professional Mariner magazine, a member of an articulated tug-barge (ATB) crew was killed while conducting conveyor-belt maintenance. The accident happened south of Ludington on Lake Michigan as a tugboat was guiding a barge from Muskegon to Charlevoix. The 37-year-old crewman was performing mechanical maintenance on the barge when he became entangled in the…
Read MoreOur Firm Recovers $1.5 Million for Injured Fisherman
Our maritime trial lawyers were able to recover $1.5 million in a settlement for a crewmember injured in a messenger line accident while working on a fishing boat. The crewman had just placed the messenger line over the starboard spreader bar when the accident happened. After the plaintiff put down the line, it went taut,…
Read MoreNew Apps Help Make Working on the Water Safer
A report in Professional Mariner revealed that new smartphone applications are helping make maritime workers jobs easier and safer. The MarineTraffic app is a smartphone application that allows the user to keep track of the positions of more than 80,000 vessels around the world on an interactive map, including the ability to see arrivals and…
Read MoreIs the Container Ship You Work on Safe?
You have the right to work in an environment where your safety is a priority. For seamen, container ships> are often their work environment, and while the law requires that these vessels be kept safe for workers, employers do not always make this their priority, including: Failing to follow federal regulations Improperly maintaining or repairing…
Read MoreOur Firm Secures a $775,000 Settlement for Scallop Boat Crewman
After a crewmember was injured on the F/V NASHIRA, a scallop boat, our nationwide maritime trial lawyers were able to secure a $775,000 settlement for him. The crewman was hurt during the evening while working on the deck of the ship. The incident that caused the man’s injuries began with a pile of scallops being…
Read MoreWrong Turn, Lack of Awareness Leads to Ferry Accident
According to Professional Mariner, while an inexperienced second mate was steering a ferry, a wrong turn led to a collision with a yacht. The accident happened at about 1:38 p.m. on September 13, 2013 near the intersection of the Harney and Upright channels in the San Juan Islands. [ubermenu-map address=”Harney Channel, Eastsound, WA” zoom=”14″ width=”375px”…
Read MoreIs It Safe For Tugboats and Pleasure Boats to Share the Water?
Whenever vessels share the water, it can produce dangerous results if one or both do not take the proper precautions, including: Never operating a vessel under the influence of drugs or alcohol; Completing any required training to operate a boat; Properly maintaining the vessel; Taking a boating safety course; Posting a lookout to watch for danger coming from any direction;…
Read MoreWater Taxi and Recreational Boat Collide, Leaving Three Hurt
A collision between a water taxi and a pleasure boat in Maine’s Casco Bay left three injured, according to Professional Mariner. The accident happened on September 7 off the southern quarter of the island of Fort Gorges around 10 p.m. The recreational boat was carrying two people and the water taxi was carrying seven, including…
Read MoreWho Do I Call If I Was Hurt in a Towboat Accident?
You have been hurt on the job, maybe even nearly died or suffered an injury that you will struggle with for the rest of your life. On top of that, your injury is preventing you from going back to work, and your medical bills and living expenses are piling up. Meanwhile, your employer and their…
Read MoreAfter Falling From Skiff, Tugboat Crewman Goes Missing
After Falling From Skiff, Tugboat Crewman Goes Missing While being carried to his tugboat on a skiff, a crewmember fell overboard and went missing, according to Professional Mariner. The 28-year-old crewman fell shortly before midnight on October 6 as a skiff was taking him to a small boat launch near Anchorage, Alaska, where his tugboat…
Read MoreWhat Should I Do If My Son Fell From a Tugboat and Drowned?
Losing someone you love so suddenly, as is the case with drowning, is a shock. It takes a while to know what to do or how to cope. Unfortunately, sometimes employers and their insurance companies will use your vulnerability to their advantage, building a case against your loved one and figuring out a way to…
Read MoreTSAC Releases Over 100 Tips for Preventing Falls Overboard
Recently, the Towing Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC) released a list of over 100 tips for preventing falls overboard from vessels. The list was compiled after the TSAC reviewed US Coast Guard incident reports of 55 fall-overboard fatalities between 2000 and 2010. Through reviewing the reports, the TSAC was able to identify 29 conditions that could…
Read MoreNew Immersion Suit Protects Shipwreck Victims for 24 Hours
According to Professional Mariner, a newly-designed immersion suit has been shown in tests to be able to protect wearers for over 24 hours. Testing of the Stearns 1950 Thermashield 24+ Immersion Suit was conducted in September 2013 at Simon Fraser University near Vancouver, British Columbia. The US Coast Guard requires that an immersion suit protect…
Read MoreWho Can I Sue If I Slipped and Fell on a Dock?
For maritime workers, boarding and disembarking a vessel is almost second nature. In some instance, gangways and ladders will provided to the crew to go back and forth between the vessel; but in many instances no means is provided to the crew. Under maritime law, vessel owners are required to provide workers with a reasonably safe…
Read MoreWhat Should I Do If I Was Hurt on a Ferry?
A March 2014 article in WorkBoat highlights the importance of the owners and operators of passenger vessels, such as ferries, keeping their ships in safe condition. According to the article, passengers on these ships will be protected from most safety hazards as long as a few simple actions are completed by those responsible for the…
Read MoreLatti Wins Jury Award of $791,000 in Cruise Ship Injury Case
On January 16, 2014, Latti Associates LLC was able to secure a jury award of $791,474.70 with 50 percent contributory negligence for a verdict of $395,732.39 for a client injured on a Norwegian Cruise Lines ship. According to the lawsuit, which was recently tried in Miami Federal Court, on the last night of our client’s…
Read MoreBarge Breaks Free From New York Construction Site
Barge Breaks Free From New York Construction Site According to The Journal News, on March 30, a barge broke free from the Tappan Zee Bridge construction site for the third time since September. A statement released by Tappan Zee Constructors (TZC) confirmed that the barge had come loose from its mooring and drifted for about…
Read MoreWhat If I Am Hurt in a Shipyard Accident?
Not all maritime injuries are suffered out at sea. Many are the result of onshore maritime accidents involving land-based workers, such as dockworkers and shipbuilders, injured on or right next to navigable waters. Such incidents, as maritime trial lawyer David Anderson explains in the video below, fall under a type of workers’ compensation known as…
Read MoreWho Do I Call If I Was the Victim of a Boating Accident?
If you or a family member have been the victim of a boating accident, the first thing you should do is seek medical attention. After that, your next step should be to talk to a maritime attorney. While you may ultimately choose not to hire a lawyer, speaking with one after an accident should be…
Read MoreConnecticut Man Receives Three Years in Fatal Boat Accident
Connecticut Man Receives Three Years in Fatal Boat Accident On March 21, a 43-year-old Connecticut man was sentenced to three years in prison after killing his best friend in a crash while boating under the influence (BUI). The accident occurred in April of 2012 when a group of friends, including the Connecticut man and the…
Read MoreTexas City Barge Accident Leads to 160,000-Gallon Oil Spill
According to The Daily News, on March 22, a barge and ship were involved in a collision near the Texas City Dike, which resulted in a 160,000-gallon oil spill. The accident happened about 12:30 p.m. at the intersection of the Intracoastal Waterway, Houston Ship Channel and Texas Ship Channel. The collision involved a 585-foot bulk…
Read MoreFamily of Worker Killed in Barge Accident Files Lawsuit
Last month, we told you about a barge accident that claimed the life of a construction worker while he was working on Baylor University’s new football stadium. Now, the family of the construction worker has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Baylor as well as the construction and equipment companies involved. The January 28 accident…
Read MoreWhat Happens if a Drunk Boater Injures Me?
What people do today will eventually show up in their future, and, unfortunately, people do not always think things through. As a result, their tomorrows often hold pain and suffering for them and others. Whether it is something as innocent as an ill-advised spur of the moment purchase or as serious as getting behind the…
Read MoreHouston Ship Channel Barge Accident Nearly Ends in Disaster
According to the Houston Chronicle, an accident between a barge and container ship narrowly avoided turning into an environmental disaster. The Houston Business Journal reported that the barge-container ship accident happened on March 14 in the Houston Ship Channel. The crash occurred just north of the Texas City Y, which is the nickname of the…
Read MoreWhat Should I Do If I Was Hurt in a Tanker Accident?
Under maritime laws such as the Jones Act, if you are hurt in a tanker accident due to negligence or unseaworthiness, you are entitled to compensation for lost wages, hospital bills and more. However, proving your employer’s dangerous operations or mistakes led to your injury can often be difficult without the assistance of a qualified…
Read MoreRazorbill Rescued from Oil Spill Caused by Tugboat Accident
According to the New York Daily News, an oil-soaked razorbill was able to be saved after a tugboat accident left an oil spill off the coast of Far Rockaway. The oil-soaked razorbill was found in late January by some park workers near Beach 30th Street. The bird was taken to Volunteers for Wildlife in Locust…
Read MoreWhat Should I Do If I Am in a Boat Accident?
Due to victims having to deal with the combination of injuries, lost wages and medical bills, the aftermath of a boating accident can be a very chaotic time. That is why, as nationwide maritime trial lawyer David Anderson explains in the video below, after seeking immediate medical attention, the first thing you should do after…
Read MoreFamily of Man Killed in Boat Wreck Struggling to Survive
According to Oklahoma’s Own News 9, an Oklahoma City family is struggling to get by in the wake of a fatal hit-and-run boating accident. The accident happened last July 4 on Lake Eufaula when a boater reportedly crashed his boat into a vessel carrying members of the family and fled the scene. The accident took…
Read MoreWhat Can I Do if I Suffered Burns in a Boating Accident?
The victims of burn injuries often have a long road to recovery ahead of them. Suffering a serious burn is one of the most devastating injuries a person can endure, because of the traumatic nature of the injury, combined with the lengthy, costly and painful rehabilitation process. As nationwide maritime trial lawyer David Anderson explains…
Read MoreBridge Shutdown for 60 Days After Louisiana Barge Accident
Bridge Shutdown for 60 Days After Louisiana Barge Accident According to WAFB CBS 9, due to the damage caused by a February 28 barge accident, a Grosse Tete, Louisiana bridge will be closed for at least 60 days. The bridge is a major crossing for area residents as well as those passing through, and closing…
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