Posts by Latti Associates LLC
Barge Accident Kills Worker on Mississippi River
Barge Accident Kills Worker on Mississippi River This WISN-TV video reports on a crane accident on a barge in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, that killed 35-year-old Joseph Bidler in July 2012. The Oshkosh Northwestern reported that it was the second crane fatality to occur during US Highway 41 construction this year, and Lunda Construction was at risk of…
Read MoreBoston Maritime Attorneys Discuss Danger of All-You-Can-Drink Packages on Cruise Lines
Boston Maritime Attorneys Discuss Danger of All-You-Can-Drink Packages on Cruise Lines On November 15, 2012, ABC News reported that Norwegian Cruise Line will be testing an all-you-can-drink package on three of its ships. As ABC noted, this is “a trend among cruise lines that appears to be gaining momentum.” The story pointed out that cruise…
Read MoreOne Worker Killed, Another Missing and 11 Injured in Another Explosion in Gulf of Mexico
Ann Rolfes, founding director of environmental health and justice organization the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, told the Times-Picayune that “the ink was barely dry” on a record $4.5 billion BP settlement when there was an explosion and fire aboard Black Elk Energy’s West Delta Block 32 production platform in the Gulf of Mexico. “This accident is…
Read MoreCarolyn Latti, David Anderson Among 2012 Top Maritime Law Attorneys in Professional Mariner Magazine
The Boston maritime trial lawyers at Latti Associates LLC were named in the 2012 Top Maritime Law Attorneys for the December/January double issue of Professional Mariner magazine. The article noted that Carolyn Latti and David Anderson “work on cases across the country and all over the world[,] and have successfully taken on huge multinational corporations.”…
Read MoreShipyard Worker Killed in Galveston Backhoe Accident
The Galveston County Daily News reported on November 6, 2012, that a 40-year-old contract employee was killed while operating a backhoe from outside the cab at Southwest Shipyard, L.P. on Pelican Island (seen in this video). John Florence of the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office told the Daily News that the crew was digging a…
Read MoreBoston Ferry Accident One of Many Reasons for Concern
Boston Ferry Accident One of Many Reasons for Concern Three stories about ferry accidents within a week’s time call attention to the dangers that not only passengers face on these ships, but crewmembers as well. On November 2, 2012, the Bellingham Herald reported that an Alaska Marine Highway ferry ramp operator was injured after a…
Read MoreUSCG Calls Off Search for Captain of Capsized Ship Near Cape Cod
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) issued a news release on November 18, 2012, announcing that it suspended its search (seen in this video) for a fisherman after the 42-foot F/V TWIN LIGHTS capsized approximately two miles north of Provincetown, Massachusetts, at around 11:30 a.m. that morning. The Provincetown Banner reported that 69-year-old Captain Jean…
Read MoreFisherman Saves Life of Woman Who Fell Off Pier After Railing Broke
This video shows Frenchman Bay in Bar Harbor, Maine, during a calmer, more serene time of year. The Mount Desert Islander reported that the waters were much chillier on the afternoon of October 25, 2012, when an unidentified woman fell from a town pier into the Bay. Bar Harbor Police Chief Nate Young told the…
Read MoreSecond Norovirus Outbreak on Celebrity Constellation This Year Leaves Hundreds Ill
BBC News reported on November 6, 2012, that the Celebrity Cruises vessel CELEBRITY CONSTELLATION delayed its departure from Southampton, England, after a suspected outbreak of norovirus. The United Kingdom’s Southern Daily Echo reported that a spokesman for Celebrity Cruises said that “a small number of guests experienced a gastrointestinal type illness,” but BBC reported that…
Read MoreFishing Workers Have Highest Rate of Fatal Injury, BLS Says
In a news release issued on October 25, 2012, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said that private industry employers reported nearly 3 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses last year. This resulted in an incidence rate of 3.5 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers in 2011, and marked the first time in a…
Read MoreCoast Guard Suspends Search for Captain of Ship Sunk by Sandy
Coast Guard Suspends Search for Captain of Ship Sunk by Sandy This video shows the dramatic United States Coast Guard (USCG) rescue of 14 people from the 180-foot replica of the HMS BOUNTY sailing ship on October 29, 2012, that we wrote about last week. Reuters reported on November 2, 2012, that the HMS BOUNTY…
Read MoreCoast Guard Rescues Crewmembers from Vintage Ship in Hurricane Sandy; One Dead
Coast Guard Rescues Crewmembers from Vintage Ship in Hurricane Sandy; One Dead A woman was rescued in the Atlantic Ocean after she abandoned ship in the rough waters from Hurricane Sandy, according to MSN.com. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued Claudene Christian, 42, from the Atlantic in the midst of the storm—she was reportedly unconscious when…
Read MoreMan Killed in California Shipyard Accident
A shipyard accident at the Port of Oakland in California lead to the death of a 51-year-old worker, according to NBC News. The accident occurred on October 25 when a crane crushed the man to death in the shipyard. Two workers were attempting to adjust a trolley that was holding the crane when one worker,…
Read MoreFishermen Jump Overboard in Ship Fire
Two fishermen are thankful to be alive after their trawler sank in the Irish Sea, according to sources in England. Skipper Stephen Kearney and another fisherman had to jump overboard after their ship caught fire. The pair were rescued by another vessel approximately 12 miles off the coast of Kilkeel. The men were airlifted to…
Read MoreFerry’s Crew Criticized for Emergency Response
A recent ferry accident near Lamma Island in Asia claimed the lives of 27 people and injured many more, and now the conditions and emergency protocols of the Hong Kong Harbor are being questioned. A vessel carrying companies on an employee pleasure-cruise to watch fireworks collided with a passenger ferry. Hong Kong has long served…
Read MoreOSHA Breaks Down Fatal Shipyard Accidents
This video from the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) takes a look at some fatal shipyard accidents—how they occurred, what caused them and how they could have been prevented. This video does a great job of showing the very real dangers faced by shipyard workers every day, as well as…
Read MoreRescuers Recover Body of Airman Killed in Boating Accident
Rescue divers in Florida recovered the body of a 20-year-old airman who was killed in a boating accident on October 21, according to the Pensacola News Journal. The victim was identified by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office as Colby Siegel. According to Stan Kirkland, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Siegel was…
Read MoreCruise Ship Performs Emergency Maintenance
P&O Cruises’ VENTURA ship sustained damage that required emergency repair in the Bay of Biscay in the Atlantic Ocean in October, according to NBC News. The cruise ship was carrying 3,100 passengers when a crack was discovered approximately two inches wide above the water line below the pool deck, according to reports. Apparently, the weld…
Read MoreFisherman Critically Injured Aboard Vessel
A Massachusetts fisherman was rushed to the hospital after he fell 14 feet from a ladder to a deck on his boat in September, according to the Gloucester Times. The fisherman was working on the VENTURE fishing vessel at the time of the accident and was rushed by paramedics to the Lahey Clinic in Burlington.…
Read MoreSpecial Interest Groups Requests Records from Boating Accident
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is requesting to see the records of a Montana boating accident in 2009 involving U.S. Representative Denny Rehberg, according to the Missoulian. The accident occurred at Flathead Lake, and the group suspects the records may contain information that the public has a right to know concerning the…
Read MoreOne Killed in Mississippi Fishing Accident
Mark Barhanovich, 54, died in a boating accident near his home in Biloxi, Mississippi, according to the SunHerald.com. Barhanovich was out on a 23-foot fishing boat when he accidently struck a submerged object in the Mississippi Sound. Following the collision, the motor ripped off the stern and flew into the boat, striking Barhanovich in the…
Read MoreFishing Accident Victim Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injury
Jamie Hilton, 36, was injured this summer on a fishing trip in Hell’s Canyon, Idaho after she fell 12 feet and hit her head, according to the Huffington Post. Hilton, a former Mrs. Idaho, had to have an emergency surgery in which doctors removed 25 percent of her skull, storing it under her abdomen until…
Read MoreAlcohol Suspected Factor in North Carolina Boating Accident
Alcohol Suspected Factor in North Carolina Boating Accident Officials are still investigating a boating accident in North Carolina that left passengers with multiple injuries, according to officials. The accident occurred in the early morning hours of October 5, in the Intracoastal Waterway off the coast of Wrightsville Beach. A 20-foot boat collided with an 18-foot…
Read MoreThirty-Eight Killed in Hong Kong Ferry Accident
A boating accident in Hong Kong killed 38 people on October 3, according to sources. A ferry owned by Hong Kong and Kowloon Holdings collided with a vessel. The ferry was damaged but managed to make it to port. The vessel, the LAMMA IV, was half submerged and retrieved by a salvage crew. Approximately 100…
Read MoreMan Rescued after Boating Accident; Remains Hospitalized
A boating accident on the evening of September 22 near Long Island has left one man in the hospital in critical condition, according to ABC News. Six passengers were aboard the ship that went down in rough waters two miles south of the Rockway Inlet. Two young boys, ages 8 and 10, were rescued out…
Read MoreMaine Boating Accident Injures Four
Four people were injured in a boating accident off the coast of Georgetown, Maine, according to Boston.com. The 22-foot boat ran aground near MacMahon Island off the banks of the Sheepscot River. A nearby lobsterman, Steve Thibodeau Sr., took rescuers to the site of the crash. Thibodeau said the boat left Boothbay Harbor and ran…
Read MoreSouth Boston’s Black Falcon Port Set to Break Records in 2012
Cruiseport Boston is on pace to set a record for the number of passengers using the South Boston “Black Falcon” terminal as a point of departure or call in 2012, with over 350,000 estimated passengers. Black Falcon first opened to cruise ships in 1986 and was recently renovated for $11 million in 2010. The port’s…
Read MoreGloucester and New Bedford Ports Appeal 2010 Federal Regulations
In our last blog, we discussed how the federal government opened the door to $100 million in emergency funds to aid New England fisherman, but the money must first pass Congress. In the meantime, fishermen are struggling with the 2010 federal regulations regarding sector allotments. The new rules implemented in May 2010 allows for individual…
Read MoreWill the Federal Government Offer Funding to Aid the Fishery Disaster?
Three weeks ago, the U.S. Commerce Department declared a national fishery disaster in New England, but what does that mean for struggling commercial fisherman? It may be the first step to receive $100 million in federal aid, but the money is not yet flowing. The Commerce Secretary understands that fish stocks are expected to be…
Read MoreChoosing a Maritime Attorney
Choosing a Maritime Attorney If you find yourself dealing with an attorney death during an ongoing maritime lawsuit, you have an important decision to make: who will represent you going forward? Although your previous attorney’s estate may work out a deal with another lawyer or firm, you have the right to choose who will represent…
Read MoreYou Always Have the Right to Choose Your Own Attorney and Discharge Your Attorney
If you have filed a maritime lawsuit against a negligent employer, drunk boater, irresponsible cruise line or other party, and your attorney passes away while the case is pending or you are no longer happy with your current attorney’s representation of you, you have the right to choose new legal representation. You always have the…
Read MoreLatti Associates LLC Sponsoring Two Contests at the Working Waterfront Festival This Weekend
The 2012 Working Waterfront Festival is being held Sept. 29-30 at the Fisherman’s Wharf/Pier 3 – Steamship Pier in New Bedford, Mass., which is America’s largest commercial fishing port. Festival-goers will have an opportunity to learn about the men and women who fish the North Atlantic. Activities will include contests, Coast Guard demonstrations, cooking demonstrations,…
Read MoreWas the F/V LADY CECILIA Seaworthy?
As the investigation into the sinking of the F/V LADY CECILIA continues, one of the biggest questions yet to be answered is whether the vessel was seaworthy. Investigators suspect the vessel sank very fast, possibly in a matter of seconds, but they don’t know what caused it to sink. The first round of public hearings…
Read MoreRemembering the Crew of the F/V LADY CECILIA
On Mar. 10, the F/V LADY CECILIA sank off the coast of Washington, resulting in the deaths of Chris Langel, 25, of Kaukauna, Wis., Luke Jensen, 22, of Ilwaco, Wash., Jason Bjaranson, 38, and Dave Nichols, 43, both of Warrenton, Ore. On Monday, we discussed the recent discovery of the wreckage. Today, we’d like to…
Read MoreWhat Do Clients Do After an Attorney Death?
If you are in need of legal representation, you are always are able to choose what attorney will represent you at all times. This is particularly true during the uncertain period after an attorney passes away with open and ongoing cases. Massachusetts law allows for clients of a deceased attorney to be transferred or “sold”…
Read MoreF/V LADY CECILIA Wreckage Found
The F/V LADY CECILIA, which sank on Mar. 10 in the Pacific Ocean, has been located. The 70-foot trawler, also identified as the F/V LADY CECELIA, was found in 460 feet of water approximately 20 miles off the Washington coast. The bodies of its four-member crew have yet to be recovered. FDS Marine International, the…
Read MoreTips for Preventing Falls in the Maritime Industry
This week we’ve been discussing maritime deaths involving falls overboard. Maritime workers can be seriously injured or killed in any kind of fall accident, including falls overboard, slip or trip and falls, falls from a height, falls on the same level, or falls on steps. It is important for maritime employers to have proper procedures…
Read MoreM/V Matisse Crewmember Lost at Sea
The U.S. Coast Guard received a call on April 21 around 12:50 a.m. that a crewmember aboard the M/V MATISSE had fallen overboard in rough seas near the mouth of the Columbia River on the border of Oregon and Washington. He was wearing a yellow work helmet when he fell, but no life jacket. Conditions…
Read MoreTugboat Captain Dies After Falling Overboard
The body of Brendan O’Leary, 48, of Marblehead, Mass., was found on May 5 approximately four miles south of Montauk Point. He had been missing since April 25, when he fell overboard from the 91-foot STEPHEN-SCOTT approximately nine miles off the coast of Newport, R.I. Because there were no witnesses, the U.S. Coast Guard has…
Read MoreDeadly Drunk Boating Accidents
In Wednesday’s blog post, we discussed the drunk boating controversy currently surrounding Maryland State Delegate Don Dwyer. According to media reports, Dwyer allegedly had a blood alcohol concentration of .2 when he was piloting a motorboat that collided head-on with another recreational vessel. Fortunately, no one was killed in the Aug. 22 accident. All too…
Read MoreMaryland Lawmaker Admits to Drinking Before Boating Accident
Maryland State Delegate Donald H. Dwyer Jr. has admitted to drinking alcohol before operating a motorboat involved in an Aug. 22 collision on the Magothy River. Four adults and five children were injured in the recreational boating accident, which sent Dwyer and five others to the hospital. The most seriously injured victim was a 5-year-old…
Read MoreMarble Head Ferry Accident Attributed to Human Error
A ferry boat accident caused an evacuation of 145 passengers, four crew members and a dog last Saturday morning after the Provincetown 3 ran aground into the tiny island Nixes Mate in Marble Head. Thankfully, the response from the coast guard and police department was swift and effective. Although no passengers were reported injured at…
Read MoreMaritime Safety Equipment
We’ve been talking about the importance of life jackets this week, but watercrafts are required to be equipped with other safety devices too. Missing or defective safety equipment typically constitutes negligence and may also be considered an unseaworthy condition. Recreational and commercial vessels should have at a minimum: One USCG-approved immersion suit or personal flotation…
Read MoreThe Importance of Life Jackets
On Monday we discussed how a man’s life jacket saved him when his canoe capsized near Auke Bay, Alaska, leaving him stranded in the water with a crab pot line tangled around his leg. Personal flotation devices are one of the most important pieces of equipment on any watercraft. PFDs help to save lives when…
Read MoreLife Jacket Saves Man’s Life
On Aug. 14, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued a 43-year-old man stranded in the water near Auke Bay, Alaska. He had been working crab pots near Point Louisa when his canoe capsized. After being reported missing by a friend, he was found by Coast Guard responders and transported to Bartlett Hospital for treatment of mild…
Read MoreFishing in the Heat? | Tips to Avoid Heat Stroke
It’s no secret that North America has been experiencing a heat wave. In fact, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, July 2012 was the hottest month in 118 years of U.S. records. For recreational and commercial fishermen alike, this means fishing in the heat. As one fisherman aboard the F/V INTEGRITY learned last…
Read MoreSigns and Symptoms of Heat Stroke
During the summer, especially when temperatures are sizzling, boaters need to be aware of their risk for heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Whether you are out for a pleasure ride, fishing with friends or working on a commercial vessel, you must take steps to stay cool and hydrated. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. It…
Read MoreFisherman Suffers Heat Stroke
Last Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard medically evacuated a 25-year-old fisherman experiencing symptoms of heat stroke about 50 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. The crew of the 88-foot F/V INTEGRITY notified Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector Southeastern New England about the medical emergency around 1:13 p.m., and a Jayhawk helicopter crew responded. By 2:23 p.m.,…
Read MoreBurn Victim Medevaced from Container Ship
Burn Victim Medevaced from Container Ship The U.S. Coast Guard assisted two burn victims on Aug. 4, one off the coast of Portland, Maine, as discussed in our previous blog post, and another off the coast of California. The latter incident involved a 55-year-old man being airlifted from the M/V JUPITER about 30 miles west…
Read MoreButane Stove Explodes On Charter Fishing Vessel
Butane Stove Explodes On Charter Fishing Vessel A butane stove exploded on the charter vessel DAWG DAZE on Aug. 4, causing one passenger to suffer second to third degree burns on his arm. The incident occurred roughly 28 miles off the coast of Portland, Maine. The victim’s name was not immediately released. U.S. Coast Guard…
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