The United States Coast Guard is looking for a 31-year old man who fell overboard early Tuesday morning near Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The individual, whose name has not been released, was working aboard a crabbing vessel about two miles south of Frog Island in Albemarle Sound when he fell…
Maritime Injury Law Blog
Injured Fisherman Airlifted Near Beach Haven
The United States Coast Guard airlifted a fisherman who sustained a bad cut on a fishing vessel off the coast of Beach Haven, New Jersey on Sunday. The injured fisherman is a 22-year-old mariner who was working aboard the Captain Bob, which was operating 110 miles east of Beach Haven,…
Fishermen, Beware of Fine Print in Employment Contract
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected a fisherman’s claim that a verbal agreement to fish the entire season was grounds for recovering “unearned wages” after he became injured. Fisherman Jesse O’Neal signed a contract to work for American Seafoods Company. In the “fine print “,…
Employers Must Provide Safe Place to Work, Including Third-Party Locations (Warehouse)
Seaman and fishermen do not always work aboard vessels. Sometimes a seaman’s duties require him or her to perform shore side tasks. Unfortunately, injuries do occur to seamen ashore. Well established maritime law requires that the employer must provide the mariner with a safe work environment. Over the years, courts…
Federal Stimulus Money to Help Fish Farmers
The U.S. is prepared to spend $50 million of the allocated federal stimulus money to help fish farmers who have been hit by a 50% increase in feed prices last year. These funds are designed to aid fish farmers all across the country. According to the Associated Press, the funds…
Good Samaritan Vessel Rescues Three after Vessel Catches Fire
A Good Samaritan vessel rushed to the aid of a scallop vessel whose engine room had caught fire outside Barnegat early Sunday morning. The troubled vessel, an 80-foot vessel named The Captain OJ Riggs, was harvesting scallops when an engine fire caused all three onboard to deploy a life raft.…
Coast Guard Suspends Search for Overboard Seaman
The United States Coast Guard has suspended its search for a seaman who reportedly fell overboard 14 miles off the Matagorda coast last Friday, July 17th. The seaman was a 47-year old Hispanic male working aboard the 60-foot shrimping vessel the Wylie Milam. The Coast Guard was notified of the…
Mariner Medevaced after Finger was Crushed and Severed
The United States Coast Guard successfully medevaced a mariner whose finger was severely injured this past weekend. 50-year old John Engelbrecht from Bainbridge Island, Washington was working on a diesel engine when his right index finger got caught in one of the gears, crushing and partially severing the finger. Engelbrecht…
Sailor Awarded $150,000 in Damages for Loss of Smell and Taste
The United States District Court for the State of Massachusetts has awarded a sailor $150,000 in damages for past and future pain and suffering, as well as loss of the enjoyment of life, after losing her full sense of smell and taste following a two-vessel collision. 39-year-old Julianne Marie Evans…
Coast Guard and Good Samaritan Assist Crew off Port Aransas
The United States Coast Guard assisted five people on board a sinking 35-foot Berthum commercial fishing vessel 30 miles southeast of Port Aransas on Wednesday. A distress call came in at 4:18 p.m. that a vessel was taking on water and needed immediate assistance. The Coast Guard immediately dispatched a…