I Lost an Arm in a Fishing Boat Accident. What Do I Do?

At Latti Associates LLC, we have seen how the physical pain and mental anguish of losing a limb can affect an amputee for the rest of his or her life. Amputees can sometimes have to relearn basic skills and be hindered in their ability to work or enjoy a lifestyle similar to the one they…

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Body of Missing Boater Found After Florida Boating Accident

Body of Missing Boater Found After Florida Boating Accident The body of a boater who went missing after a February 20 boating accident was recovered later that same day by local authorities, according to WESH NBC 2. The accident happened around 11 a.m. on Lake Jesup. The two men involved in the wreck were brothers.…

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Mississippi River Closed After New Orleans Barge Accident

A February 22 barge accident involving two tugboats caused an oil spill that forced authorities to close a 65-mile stretch of the Mississippi River. According to KRIS NBC 6 News, as of February 23, the closure had left 26 vessels waiting to pass through the area. “Authorities involved in the cleanup and investigation planned a…

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What if My Loved One Died in an Onshore Maritime Accident?

In the video below, nationwide maritime trial lawyer David Anderson discusses the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act, which is a type of workers’ compensation administered by the U.S. government. Under the Longshore Act, onshore workers are provided with benefits, including replacement income and compensation for medical expenses if they are the victim of a…

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Investigation into Florida Barge Accident Still Ongoing

The investigation into a March 20 Fort Walton Beach barge accident is still ongoing, according to the Northwest Florida Daily News. The investigation by the Coast Guard will reportedly be concluded within the next few weeks. As a result of the barge accident, which occurred when a tugboat pushed a barge with a crane on…

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No Structural Harm to I-24 Bridge in Ohio River Barge Wreck

A February 13 tugboat accident caused no structural damage to the Interstate 24 Ohio River Bridge hit by the barges being pushed by the tug. WSIL ABC 3 reported that the accident happened around midnight when the tugboat pushed at least two barges into a pier attached to the bridge. According to a spokesperson for…

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I Was Hurt in a Barge Accident. What Should I Do?

With proper safety training, staffing, maintenance, tools and equipment, many tug and barge accidents are preventable. When injuries and wrongful deaths occur on tugboats and barges, it is often because the owner or employer failed to prevent or correct unsafe shipboard conditions, such as: Improper procedures for setting out and securing lines of tug, barge and…

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Floating Restaurant Breaks Free and Hits Bridge in Kentucky

According to WCPO 9 in Cincinnati, on February 6, a floating restaurant located on the Ohio River broke free from the shore and hit a bridge. This was not the first time that the Waterfront had broken away and hit the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge. Back in 2011, it broke loose and crashed into the…

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Maine Barge Accident Leads to Damariscotta River Oil Spill

On February 7, a barge sunk into the Damariscotta River leading to an oil spill, according to WCSH NBC 6 in Portland, Maine. The accident happened near an aquaculture farm in the village of Walpole, Maine around 8 a.m. No one was reported to have been injured in the accident. After the accident, the barge…

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What Should I Do If I Am the Victim of a Drunk Boating Accident?

The dangers of drunk boating cannot be overstated. According to an American Boating Association (ABA) article, a Coast Guard study estimates that boat operators with a blood alcohol concentration above 10 percent are estimated to be more than 10 times as likely to be killed in a boating accident as boat operators with zero blood…

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Westhampton Beach Boy Scout Protecting Boaters with Eagle Project

A 14-year-old Boy Scout in Westhampton Beach, New York is working to bring a life jacket loaner station to the Westhampton Beach Village Marina. According to the Westhampton-Hampton Bays Patch, the life jacket stand is a part of the young man’s quest to earn his Eagle Scout award, which is the highest rank in Boy…

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Woman Facing No Jail Time in New York DWI Boating Accident

On January 8, a 24-year-old Utica College student received no jail time after she pleaded guilty to boating while intoxicated and third-degree assault. According to the Utica Observer-Dispatch, the victims of the First Lake boating accident did not want the student to receive a severe punishment. “The victims of the boat collision were instrumental in…

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Man Killed after Boat Capsizes Off South Carolina Coast

A January 25 boating accident left one person dead, according to WMBF News in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The accident happened at about 5 p.m. near the jetties in Murrells Inlet when a vessel capsized and left two boaters in need of assistance. “The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Beach Patrol and Deputies, Garden City/Murrells Inlet Fire…

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New Jersey Passing Law Increasing Boating Accident Penalties?

On January 14, a bill cleared the New Jersey state Senate that would toughen the punishment for leaving the scene of a boating accident that results in a serious or fatal injury. According to the Brick Patch, under the current law, aside from being illegal, there is no set penalty for leaving the scene of…

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Barge Washes Up on New York Beach After Detaching From Tugboat

Barge Washes Up on New York Beach After Detaching From Tugboat A 125-foot deck barge washed up on Atlantic Beach in New York on January 14 after detaching from a tugboat that sank into the Atlantic Ocean. The tug and barge were separated after a “large swell” around 7:30 p.m. on January 13, according to…

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New Jersey Barge Worker Injured When Struck by Boom

A boom crane struck a New Jersey barge worker on January 21 on the Passaic River, causing serious injuries that required emergency rescue teams. According to the Lyndhurst Fire Department, when the worker’s injury was originally called in, it was described as just a “nosebleed.” However, when emergency crews arrived, they found the barge worker…

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Do I Need A Lawyer After a Maritime Accident?

After a maritime accident, victims are often told by vessel owners that they will “take care of them,” in order to prevent getting an attorney involved. However, it is important that you contact an attorney immediately after your maritime accident to ensure that you will get the compensation you deserve. Oftentimes, if someone is injured…

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Massachusetts Man Charged in Boating Accident That Killed 10-Year-Old

A Massachusetts man was convicted on January 20 for the death of a 10-year-old boy in a boating accident that occurred in August 2010. According to prosecutors in the case, Steven Morse was intoxicated when he was operating a powerboat on Norwich Lake at the time of the accident. Morse drove his powerboat into a…

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Lack of Health Insurance for Commercial Fisherman Prevents Industry Growth

An article in Alaska Public Media recently discussed the growing issue of the lack of affordable health insurance for commercial fishermen and the impact it has on the industry as a whole. According to the article, a sizeable portion of Alaskan fishermen choose to forgo insurance altogether, since affordable healthcare is not provided for them.…

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Our Maritime Attorneys Represent Injured Victims Nationwide

The maritime attorneys at Latti Associates LLC represent injured clients throughout the country for injuries sustained all over the world. When you are injured in a maritime accident, you do not have to seek help from an attorney in your home state, or from the state you are injured in. Maritime law is federal law,…

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Our Female Maritime Attorney Carolyn Latti Represents Those Injured at Sea

Attorney and firm partner Carolyn Latti is one of the few female maritime attorneys on the East Coast and specializes in representing fishermen, lobstermen, merchant seamen, longshore and harbor workers. Carolyn also provides representation for those injured in cruise ship accidents, ferry accidents and recreational boating collisions. She focuses on admiralty law and has twice…

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New Jersey Snow Storm Sets Hudson River Barges Adrift

Two large construction barges were set loose from the Tappan Zee Bridge on January 3 during a recent snowstorm, causing more scrutiny over the area that has been criticized for safety concerns since a fatal accident last summer. One of the barges made it 15 miles before officials recovered it; the other traveled a shorter…

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Worker Injured in Dredging Accident at Washington State Port

A man was injured while working on a barge at the Port of Olympia in Washington State on January 8. According to the Olympia Fire Department, the man was injured when a “bucket used in the dredging process shifted and/or impacted the worker.” The man was working for Orion Marine Contractors of Tacoma on the…

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Passenger Fell From Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship, Police Say

Police released on January 1 that they believe a passenger that was reported as missing from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship may have fallen overboard around dawn on December 31. According to officials, the passenger was a 65-year-old man that may have fallen off the cruise ship in British Caribbean territory, 13 miles northwest of…

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Coast Guard Ends Search for Missing Boston Fisherman

Coast Guard Ends Search for Missing Boston Fisherman The Coast Guard called off their search the day after a fisherman went overboard off a Boston fishing boat, F/V LYDIA MAYA,  southeast of Cape Ann, Massachusetts on December 19. The search for the missing fisherman was called off on December 20 after the Coast Guard deployed…

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Maritime Trial Lawyer: Tug-Barge Breaks Apart in Alaskan Ice

An integrated tug-barge (ITB) fell apart after hitting river ice off the Alaskan Coast this summer. The ITB and its crew was working to remove debris from the 2011 Japanese tsunami when the accident occurred on July 24. Two men were on the vessel when it slammed into large pieces of ice, breaking apart most…

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Containership Pilot Loses License After Striking Philadelphia Pier

Containership Pilot Loses License After Striking Philadelphia Pier A containership pilot has lost his license after investigators say he caused a collision into an abandoned pier by downtown Philadelphia in December 2011. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the pilot became disoriented on the Delaware River and missed a turn, causing the collision.…

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Investigation Into 2012 Fatal Engine Room Fire Finds New Safety Rules are Needed

An investigation done by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has found that an oil spray started the fatal 2012 engine fire that killed a tugboat’s chief engineer. The fire occurred on March 27, 2012 aboard the Patrice McAllister on Lake Ontario. Federal Officials are reviewing the incident to determine if additional safety regulations are…

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Virginia Captain Loses Job After Ferry Accident

The captain of a Jamestown ferry lost his job after an August accident that occurred when he departed from the dock while cars were still loading onto the boat, sending a woman in her Toyota into the James River. The accident occurred on August 7 when the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry (JSF) left the berth while vehicles…

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Tulsa Man Charged in Fatal Boating Accident Pleads Not Guilty

The man charged with two counts of first degree manslaughter in a Grand Lake boating accident that killed two people in May pleaded not guilty on December 13. The accused man was allegedly the operator of the boat that collided into an empty 96-foot houseboat on Grand Lake near Arrowhead Yacht Club. The accident killed…

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North Carolina Ferry Accident Injures Passengers, Crew

A ferry ran aground on Battery Island, North Carolina on December 17, injuring more than 12 people, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The passenger ferry was carrying 53 passengers at the time of the accident. One passenger was flown to a local hospital, while 12 others were taken to regional hospitals. Seven other passengers…

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Three Killed in Destin Boating Accident, Cause of Accident Under Investigation

Investigators are inspecting the wreckage and motor of a boat that was involved in an accident under the Mid-Bay Bridge that killed three people on December 5, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Three people were on board a recreational boat when the operator hit a piling under the Mid-Bay Bridge, and…

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Wales Ferry Accident Caused by Crew Fatigue, Officials Say

A ferry accident in Holyhead, Wales may have been caused by crew exhaustion and unfamiliarity with the vessel’s equipment and safety procedures, according to an official report. The ferry accident occurred in February when the vessel collided into a port in Anglesey and punctured a hole in the hull, flooding the pump room. All 77…

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Crews Resume Search for Victim of Ohio River Barge Accident

Search and rescue crews resumed their search on December 11 for a missing worker that was involved in a barge accident on the Ohio River the day before. On December 10 around 4 a.m., the McCracken County Sheriff’s Office received a phone call that a worker on a barge owned by Hunter Sun and Gravel…

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New Jersey Ferry Accident Injures Several On Board, Including Captain

A New Jersey ferry accident on November 30 injured several people on board, including the vessel’s captain. The ferry hit a Jersey City pier 300 yards north of the dock it was traveling to, causing many passengers and crewmembers to fall. Five passengers and two crewmembers, one being the ship’s captain, reported injuries. Three were…

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Towboat Hits Submerged Object, Sinks in Mississippi River

A towboat sunk in the Mississippi River in Iowa on November 25 after hitting an unknown submerged object. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, no serious injuries were reported from the incident, but the boat was carrying 100,000 gallons of diesel fuel and oil that is now leaking into the river. Nine crewmembers escaped from…

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Passengers Told to “Brace for Impact” in Staten Island Ferry Accident

Ferry operators told passengers to “brace for impact” when a Staten Island ferry collided into a Whitehall terminal dock in lower Manhattan on November 14. According to transportation department authorities, a “power disruption” may have caused the crash. Passengers on board said that the ferry collided with the dock hard and that operators “told everybody…

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One Dead After Boat Capsizes off Alki Point in Washington

A man was killed when the wheelhouse of a boat he was working on capsized on November 15 off Alki Point in Washington State. Three crewmates of the man suffered hypothermia in the accident but survived the capsizing. According to the Coast Guard and Seattle Fire Department, the men were working for Ballard Marine Construction…

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Cruise Ship Injury? Our Nationwide Maritime Attorneys Can Help

Our nationwide maritime attorneys can help victims of cruise ship accidents, injuries and assault. A recent string of cruise ship accidents have shown that passengers and crew on board these large vessels are at risk for serious injuries and death when there is negligence or recklessness. Most recently, a woman leaped overboard a cruise ship…

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Hyak Ferry Crash Caused by Captain and Trainee Error, According to Investigators

The September Hyak ferry accident that sunk a 27-foot sailboat on the Salish Sea outside Washington State was caused by human error and inattentiveness of the ferry captain and second mate who was in training at the time of the accident. According to an investigation done by Washington State Ferries, the collision between the 382-foot…

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Boat Operator in Fatal Hudson River Crash Admitted to Drinking, Officials Say

Boat Operator in Fatal Hudson River Crash Admitted to Drinking, Officials Say [ubermenu-map address=”Tappan Zee Bridge, New York” zoom=”14″ width=”375px” height=”375px”] A prosecutor said in court on November 20 that the man accused of causing a boat accident on the Hudson River in July, killing a bride-to-be and her fiancé’s best man, admitted to “drinking…

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Our Maritime Attorneys Help Victims of Drunken Boating Accidents

The case against a man charged with killing two boys in a June 2012 boating accident has been delegated to a jury. Paul Bennett, the boat operator at the time of the accident, is facing charges of homicide by vessel, failure to render aid, reckless operation and boating under the influence. On July 18, 2012,…

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Maritime Trial Lawyer: Boat Operator in Fatal Hudson River Accident Charged in 18-Count Indictment

The operator of a boat involved in a Hudson River accident that killed a bride-to-be and her fiancé’s best man in July was charged in an 18-count indictment on November 7. The driver, 35-year-old JoJo John, is facing counts of first-degree vehicular manslaughter (2), second-degree vehicular manslaughter (4), second-degree manslaughter (2), criminally negligent homicide (2),…

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Wall Street Ferry Crash Victims Reach Settlement

Almost $1 million in damages were awarded this month to victims of the Wall Street ferry accident that occurred January. Ferry operation company SeaStreak settled 40 of the 45 claims against them. Four additional claims were filed in early November. Victims of the ferry accident have filed claims for injuries like knee injuries, shoulder damage…

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Seaman Sues Shipping Company after Barge Accident

A New Orleans seaman is suing his employer after being injured in a barge accident. According to the lawsuit, the vessel worker was on board the M/V Jean Laffitte when a collision occurred between the vessel and a barge, allegedly as a result of the ship captain’s negligence. The plaintiff suffered severe injuries to his…

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Pentwater Man Dies in Barge Accident on Lake Michigan

A 37-year-old man was killed on board a barge on Lake Michigan in a work accident on November 3. The barge P.M. 41 was heading north on the lake around 11:45 a.m. when the U.S. Coast Guard got a call about an employee dying in a conveyor belt accident on deck. According to the Coast…

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