The maritime injury accident lawyers at Fitts Zehl, LLP take pride in representing offshore employees who have been seriously injured due to the negligence of others. Whether it’s a careless fellow crew member, a broken piece of safety equipment onboard the vessel or a captain who insists on cutting corners to save time and money; if you are hurt as a result, you have the right to hold the responsible party accountable for his or her actions.

Maritime Injury? Contact the Offshore Accident Lawyers at Fitts Zehl: 1-800-993-4887

Remember, very few lawyers understand how to successfully handle a maritime or Jones Act claim. One wrong move can seriously harm your chance to recover the money you will need to cover your damages. Don’t let your employer off the hook. Contact the experienced maritime injury accident lawyers at Fitts Zehl, LLP today to speak with an attorney who understands how to get you the money you deserve. That way, you can focus on your future, rather than having to worry about how you are going to pay for it.

Rescuers temporarily halted their search for survivors of the MV Rabaul Queen on Monday due to strong winds. According to Papua New Guinea’s National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA), the ferry abruptly sank on February 2^nd while traveling on the open ocean from Kimbe in the province of West New Britain to Lae after encountering several large waves. Of the 372 people who were reportedly onboard when the ship capsized, 246 were rescued and 5 bodies were recovered. The remaining 121 have yet to be found.

If you or a loved one have been hurt or killed in an offshore accident, contact the experienced Maritime Injury Lawyers at Fitts Zehl, LLP today for a free initial consultation regarding your legal rights: 1-800-993-4887.

Source: The Daily Telegraph

Judge Carl Barbier ruled on Tuesday that BP must cover some of Halliburton’s costs stemming from the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. However, the Court made it clear that if it is proven that Halliburton deliberately concealed any problems associated with its well cementing operation, BP could avoid having to pay. Trial is set to begin on February 27.

If you or someone you love was hurt onboard a boat, ship, rig or other vessel, contact the experienced Texas Maritime Injury Accident Lawyers at Fitts Zehl, LLP today for a free, confidential consultation: 1-800-993-4887. We have helped thousands of injured Gulf Coast workers recover the money they deserve following a serious offshore accident. Call today to find out your rights under laws like the Jones Act and General Maritime Law.

Source: AFP

The Coast Guard investigation into what caused the mysterious sinking of a New Jersey fishing boat has moved to the Port of Houston. Officials are inspecting a vessel that was determined to be in the vicinity of the Mandy Ness around the time that it capsized on January 10^th, taking the life of the captain and forcing the rescue of a crewman. The Coast Guard has not yet released the name of the vessel which they suspect may have had something to do with the tragic maritime accident.

If you or a loved one has been hurt offshore on a boat, tug, rig or other vessel, contact the experienced Maritime Accident Injury Lawyers at Fitts Zehl, LLP today for a free, confidential consultation: 1-800-993-4887. We proudly represent injured Jones Act seamen from across the nation.

Source: Houston Chronicle

Two workers are missing following a fire onboard the KS Endeavor, an offshore jack-up rig owned by Chevron. Operated under contract by Fode Drilling Company, the rig was searching for deepwater oil and gas deposits near the Nigerian coast when the maritime accident occurred. According to Chevron, the cause of the still-burning fire remains under investigation.

Hercules Offshore also reported the loss of the liftboat Mako that was adjacent to the Chevron rig when fire broke out. Fortunately, the entire crew was evacuated from the crippled support vessel before any one was injured or killed.

If you lost a loved one to this tragic maritime accident, you undoubtedly have many things on your mind. The experienced Maritime Rig Fire Lawyers at Fitts Zehl, LLP are here to assist you and answer any questions you may have. In the past, our firm has represented hundreds of offshore workers who were injured or killed following the accidental outbreak of fire onboard a rig or other vessel. Most recently, Fitts Zehl successfully represented a number of Jones Act workers who were injured or lost their lives in the 2010 explosion of BP and Transocean’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig.

In the wake of an offshore disaster, it is important to take action quickly in order to secure vital evidence. Contact the Maritime Rig Fire Injury Lawyers at Fitts Zehl, LLP today for a free, confidential consultation: 1 (800) 993-4887.

A commercial fishing boat capsized late Tuesday night roughly 10 miles off the coast of New Jersey. The maritime accident left one dead and required the rescue of another member of the crew by a passing vessel. The overturned boat, a 44-foot commercial fishing vessel named the Mandy Ness, was based out of nearby Barnegat Light.

According to officials, a specially-designed beacon onboard the fishing vessel automatically broadcast a signal alerting the Coast Guard to the offshore emergency once the boat rolled over. The Guard promptly dispatched both a helicopter and a rescue boat to the scene. While the accident remains under investigation, officials have noted that the conditions, 3 foot seas with 17 mile per hour winds, were not particularly rough given the time of year.

It doesn’t take long for a maritime accident to occur. If you or someone you love has been hurt offshore on a commercial fishing boat, drillship, tug or other type of sea-going vessel, contact the experienced maritime accident injury lawyers at Fitts Zehl, LLP today for a free, confidential consultation: 1 (800) 993-4887. We proudly represent injured Jones Act seamen from across the nation and are ready to help you hold whoever is responsible for your injuries accountable under the law. Call us today.

Source: Associated Press

A Russian jack-up rig with 67 crew onboard capsized and quickly sank near the island of Sakhalin last Sunday while being towed through a heavy winter storm on the Sea of Okhotsk. More than 50 people remain unaccounted for after this tragic maritime accident. The rig, named the “Kolskaya”, was owned and operated by Arktikmorneftegazrazvedka (AMNGR), a unit of Russian state-owned Zarubezhneft, at the time it sank.

Companies have a responsibility to make sure that their employees are kept out of harm’s way. In the event of a serious offshore accident, you need someone to stand up and hold the responsible parties accountable for what they have done. You may have rights under laws like the Jones Act and General Maritime Law! If you or a loved one were hurt offshore, contact the experienced Offshore Injury Lawyers at Fitts Zehl, LLP today for a free, confidential consultation: 1 (800) 993-4887.

Source: Reuters

According to the United States Coast Guard, a tanker collided with a smaller boat in the Houston Ship Channel this morning. Fortunately, no injuries or damage to the environment were reported.

It doesn’t take long for a serious maritime accident to unfold. Before you know it, you’re lying on the deck in agonizing pain when only moments earlier, everything seemed under control. If you or someone you love have been hurt on a fishing boat, drillship, semi-submersible or other type of ocean-going vessel, contact the experienced Jones Act Injury Lawyers at Fitts Zehl, LLP today for a free consultation: 1 (800) 993-4887. Remember, everything you say to us is always confidential. Call today to find out how to protect your legal rights.

Source: www.chron.com

On Tuesday night at approximately 8:15 p.m., a Houston Ship Channel worker was caught beneath a crane as it began to move. According to officials, upon contact with the crane, the worker’s legs were instantly severed. The man was rushed to a Pasadena hospital where he passed away as a result of his injuries.

Longshoring is, by nature, a difficult and dangerous profession. The last thing anyone needs are people or companies making unnecessary or preventable mistakes. If you or a loved on have been seriously hurt on the job while working on or near the water, contact the experienced maritime injury lawyers at Fitts Zehl, LLP today for a free, confidential consultation: 1-800-993-4887. In the wake of a serious accident, our trial attorneys will help you determine a course of action that will allow you and your family to focus on your future, instead of worrying about how you’re going to pay for it.

Source: chron.com

The United States Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) has formally approved BP’s new drilling plan for the Kaskida development, opening the way for the company to continue its operations following an 18-month hiatus. BP, and every other oil company, was forced to cease operations following the April 20, 2010 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that killed 11 offshore workers, injured dozens more and spilt millions of gallons of crude into the Gulf.

BP has a history of serious accidents on and offshore, including the March 23, 2005 explosion at the company’s Texas City refinery. That blast caused the deaths of 15 workers and injured nearly 200 others.

By approving BP’s new Kaskida drilling plan, BOEMRE has opened the door for the company to resume drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico. According to Robert Dudley, BP’s current CEO, the company will have up to 5 rigs working by the end of this year. Dudley was optimistic that BP could have as many as 8 rigs operating by the end of 2012.

If you or someone you love has been hurt offshore on a commercial fishing boat, barge, tug or other type of ocean-going vessel, contact the experienced Jones Act injury lawyers at Fitts Zehl today for a free, confidential consultation: 1 (800) 993-4887. Our firm successfully represented dozens of injured individuals against BP following the devastating 2005 Texas City refinery blast and continues to represent dozens more against the company for its leading role in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion.

Source: Houston Chronicle