Barge Injuries Involving Hoists, Cranes & Derricks

Everyday across the rivers, canals and waterways of America maritime and barges workers are moving equipment, pipes and heavy loads by cranes and hoists. Due to the unstable conditions that can be present on a barge in the water, loads may be swinging and hard to control. Workers can be injured while standing under or near a load or boom with a suspended load and be injured from the load shifting and falling, the crane operator being negligent and swinging the load or boom into co-workers or prematurely dropping or misplacing the load. Some workers on barges have been injured when the load is not properly secured with a safety chain or tag line and the load gets out of control and falls or swings into a worker and crushes them. Before lifting any load the workers need to access the complete hoisting system to be sure it is structurally sound, all the welds, rivets, lines, pulleys and hooks are properly attached and in working order. So often a maritime worker required to work with hoists and cranes on barges and ships with missing pieces or that are just worn out.

When injuries occur the ship or barge the employer may be found to be liable under the Jones Act or General Maritime Law for requiring its workers to work on an unseaworthy vessel and endangering the workers. When a maritime worker is injured, then he is able to collect maintenance and cure benefits under the Jones Act and other damages for his personal injuries and lost wages and other losses in the past and future. If the crane, derrick or hoist owner is his employer or different form his employer, then additional set of laws and recoveries under the General Maritime Law may apply as well. In cases where the hoist or crane or another piece of machinery failed, then an additional claim or lawsuit against the maintenance company or the product manufacturer may be available to the injured worker and/or his family.

The laws that apply in any one case, may not work in a similar case. This is why it is important to visit with a maritime injury lawyer soon after any accident so that he can explain the traps and filing deadlines that may exist in your case. Talk to a maritime personal injury attorney today and get answers to the questions you may have concerning your maritime accident. Call and talk to maritime lawyer David Willis, a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1988. Willis is a Former Attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas and has been practicing law since 1983. Get Experience on Your Side. Call 24/7 Toll Free at 1-800-883-9858