Monthly Archives: March 2022

Doyle Dennis Avery LLP secured an award in arbitration in favor of our client, a Jones Act seaman who fell from a compressor during loading operations aboard a supply barge which was working with the dredge Weeks Venture. On October 28, 2010, a panel of arbitrators appointed by the American Arbitration Association issued an award in favor of the seaman, who suffered a broken wrist and lumbar spine injuries from the accident, which he suffered while serving as a Leverman/Deck Captain working with the dredging vessel. The arbitrators found that the seaman’s employer, Weeks Marine, was guilty of negligence under the Jones Act due to its failure to provide fall protection, eliminate a trip hazard caused by a hose that was coiled and placed on top of the compressor, and follow its own safety manual.

The award came after four years of fighting by Weeks Marine, which attempted to avoid any responsibility for the incident. Weeks Marine’s excessive dispute and delay included two appeals the company made to the Texas Supreme Court, an attempt to obtain an injunction halting the seaman’s medical treatment, and other tactics found to be unconscionable and deceptive.

“We are pleased that after so many attempts to evade responsibility in this case that Weeks Marine has been held accountable for its actions, and our client can finally have justice in his case,” said Patrick Dennis. Mr. Dennis served as lead counsel for the arbitration.

The panel found that the seaman had sustained $924,184.90 in compensatory damages. This amount was reduced based upon a finding that the seaman was 50% contributorily negligent. Doyle was proud to hold Weeks Marine accountable and enforce the rights of our client. For us, you can understand what you don’t want exactly, and quality of your needs. Thus, if you to select the Internet many websites offer to our company so if you were looking for! Finally, a glance, so you’ll never have to worry about deadlines and others. If you order . Paperell.com Every member of scientific art that have to explain to fulfill this to our team created this is written by following the wrong formatting, poor quality, or high level under any of plagiarism checker that have no plagiarism checker that our team will satisfy your performance .

On August 19, 2011, a Harris County jury unanimously confirmed WesternGeco Resources, Inc. as responsible for living expenses (maintenance) and medical care (cure) for an injury to the medic onboard its seismic vessel M/V GILIVAR off the shore of Equatorial Guinea in 2006. In addition to confirming that WesternGeco was responsible for maintenance and cure payments, WesternGeco was required to pay damages for unreasonable denial.

The jury rejected the claims by WesternGeco (a Houston-based subsidiary of Schlumberger) that it did not exercise any control over the operations or crewmembers onboard the vessel, the jury found in the first reported instance responsible as a “borrowing employer” for a crewmember placed and paid by a third-party contractor, Wadleigh, Inc.

Doyle represented the Plaintiff in his maritime and Jones Act claims.

In the aftermath of the BP oil rig explosion and spill, the Obama administration placed a moratorium on oil drilling. Since then, the moratorium may have officially been lifted, but the permitting process for rigs has grinded almost to a halt.

Ten oil rigs have left the Gulf of Mexico in recent months for distant oil fields in South America and Africa. Of the rigs still under contract to operate in the gulf, sixty percent are idle, according to the Financial Times. Idle tug boats, helicopters and other equipment involved in maritime cargo and personnel transfers cost their owners money every day. Others involved in the oyster and shrimp industries still await a positive outcome for claims arising from the BP oil spill.

Some commentators are pointing the finger at the Department of the Interior for mismanagement of the permitting process. Both shallow-water and deepwater permits are tracking well below historical levels.

Oil Rigs Relocating

The lack of drilling activity in the Gulf has caused many oil rigs to leave for greener pastures – rigs are leaving in record numbers for oil fields in South America and Africa. Consequently, U.S. workers on these rigs are also leaving for these foreign waters in an attempt to earn the paycheck their families desperately need.

Tragically, some of the U.S. workers leaving for South America and Africa will be injured on the high seas while drilling for oil. Fortunately though, working outside of U.S. waters does not leave a rig worker without remedies. The Jones Act may allow an American oil rig worker to hold his employer liable for injuries the worker sustains because of the employers negligence.

Generally, injured workers may make claims for personal injury, which can include compensation for lost wages and medical bills. Moreover, the family of a deceased rig worker can bring a wrongful death claim in the unfortunate event that a loved one is killed while working on an oil rig.

If you are an American rig worker, who has been injured while working on an offshore oil rig, whether in United States or international waters, an experienced Maritime attorney can advise you of your rights and options.

On January 13, 2012, the Costa Concordia, a cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruises, ran aground off the coast of Italy. The shipwreck has resulted in the loss of crewmembers and passengers, with several people still missing. Still many other of the ship’s passengers sustained serious injuries.

Despite the potential liability of Carnival, affected crewmembers, passengers, and their families could face hurdles in pursuing legal action against the cruise line.

As with the Costa Concordia, most cruise lines include arbitration and forum selection clauses in their travel and employment contracts, which are designed to limit the ability of injured persons to bring suit and the locations that they may do so. Many travelers and even crewmembers are completely unaware of the existence of such clauses, which are usually buried in fine print of their booking or employment documents.

Doyle frequently handles personal injury and wrongful death claims arising from maritime accidents.