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Working on a tugboat can be highly dangerous, even for the most experienced and cautious of crewmembers. Tugboats are incredibly powerful vessels, and even when they are traveling at very low speeds, the potential for catastrophic or fatal injury is always present. The risk of injury increases when a captain or fellow crewmember makes careless errors, or when crewmembers unknowingly work with faulty, defective equipment.
If you or your spouse was injured in a tugboat accident off the coast of Texas, such as Galveston Bay or the Gulf of Mexico, the experienced Houston maritime injury lawyers of Queenan Law may be able to help you get compensated for your medical bills, lost income, and other losses. Our skilled and dedicated legal team has more than 20 years of experience helping injured maritime workers, and brings an in-depth knowledge of federal maritime laws to every case we handle. Call our law offices at (817) 476-1797 for a free consultation.
Compensation for Injured Seamen and Tugboat Crewmembers in Texas
Most crewmembers who work aboard tugboats, barges, ferries, and other vessels are covered by the provisions of the Jones Act, also known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, when an accident caused by negligence occurs at sea.
There are many ways that negligence, or carelessness, can cause a devastating accident to occur aboard a tugboat. For instance, failure to maintain a tugboat to keep it in safe working condition may give rise to a claim if an injury or wrongful death results. In other cases, a third party may be liable for tugboat injuries, such as the manufacturer of a defective latch, door, engine system, or other piece of equipment or machinery.
The Jones Act generally applies to workers who meet the criteria for being “seamen,” meaning male and female maritime workers who are at sea for at least 30% of their time onboard. Many workers qualify as seamen under the Jones Act, but those who do not may be able to seek compensation under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA).
Due to the legal complexities of maritime law and procedures for seeking compensation, it is in your best interests to be represented by a skilled Texas tugboat accident attorney who will fight to show that you were a victim of negligence while working diligently to maximize the value of your claim.
Injury Claims and Cases Our Houston Maritime Accident Attorneys Handle
As personal injury attorneys with over 20 years of experience, the Queenan Law legal team has handled numerous claims and lawsuits involving a wide scope of serious injuries and the complications that can result. We bring decades of accumulated knowledge to every case we handle, always balancing aggressive representation with compassionate support for the hard-working men and women we represent.
Many types of accidents and injuries can occur onboard a tugboat, especially when the vessel is in the process of towing a heavy barge. Examples of injuries that may give rise to a maritime injury claim, or litigation under the Jones Act, include:
- Amputation
- Blunt Force Trauma
- Bone Fractures
- Chemical Burn Injuries
- Crush Injuries
- Facial Injuries
- Hand and Wrist Injuries
- Head Injuries
- Neck Injuries
- Nerve Damage
- Paralysis
- Slip and Fall Accident Injuries
- Soft Tissue Injuries (Sprains, Strains)
- Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI)
- Submersion Injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
- Wrongful Death
These and other injuries should be preventable, and in many instances, occur due to the negligence of another crewmember, a product manufacturer, or other parties. Examples of accidents, defects, and hazardous conditions that can cause injuries aboard a tugboat or other vessel include:
- Accidental Falls
- Chemical Exposure
- Defective Machinery
- Defective Lifejackets
- Drowning Accidents
- Fatigue
- Faulty Equipment
- Inadequate Repairs
- Inadequate Supervision
- Insufficient Lighting
- Intoxication
- Object Strikes
- Operational Errors
- Slippery Decks
- Trip Hazards (Cords, Cables)
Contact a Houston Tugboat Injury Lawyer for a Free Legal Consultation
As an injured maritime worker, or the spouse of a tugboat crewmember who was injured or killed in a preventable accident off the coast of Texas, you and your loved ones have legal rights under the Jones Act and other legislation.
At Queenan Law, our goal is to help you exercise those rights to the fullest extent of the law, and to fight for compensation that will provide you with the financial security you need and deserve during this difficult time. As boat accident lawyers with decades of experience serving injured Texan maritime workers, we are highly familiar with the direct and underlying causes of tugboat injuries. Trust us to represent you thoughtfully, aggressively, and strategically at every stage of the process.
If you or one of your loved ones was injured aboard a tugboat in Texas because of another individual’s negligent acts, or because of a defective product, our Houston maritime accident attorneys urge you to call the Queenan Law Firm, P.C. at (817) 476-1797. There is no such thing as a “bad” question – we are here to help provide you with information and guidance while fighting for compensation on you and your family’s behalf.