September 14th, 2010
Saturday afternoon, the fishing vessel Insight began taking on water approximately 30 miles south of Point Loma, California. There were nine fishermen onboard. The Coast Guard Sector San Diego launched a helicopter and sent a cutter to assist the vessel after the emergency call was received. Luckily, three good Samaritan boats also came to the aid of the vessel.
All nine fishermen were equipped with life vests and all nine fishermen were rescued safely from this serious situation.
The Coast Guard is using what happened to the Insight and its crew to remind everyone that proper communication equipment and life saving devices are necessary in a maritime emergency.
September 8th, 2010
Summer may be over and while many recreational fishermen are putting away their gear and ending another fishing season, the upcoming cold weather is not the end of fishing season for many commercial fishermen.
For fishermen, particularly in the Northeast, the upcoming change in weather is not a welcome one. Their already difficult jobs become even more dangerous when the weather and the water turn colder. The seas become choppier and it is difficult to survive for very long if you fall overboard into the icy water. The cold wind makes frostbite and other cold related illnesses a very real possibility.
Nevertheless, commercial fishermen will continue to do their jobs and their employers should take reasonable steps to protect them from harm.
If you have suffered an injury due to an employer failing to take reasonable precautions for your safety or if you have lost a loved one in a maritime accident then please contact a commercial fishing lawyer today for more information about your rights.
September 7th, 2010
Adverse weather conditions are dangerous for maritime workers. Sometimes Mother Nature throws a true curve ball and it is difficult, if not impossible, to predict a weather event.
However, in recent decades weather forecasting equipment has improved and that, combined with the knowledge that has been passed down through generations of maritime workers, should make the maritime industry safer, though not immune, to weather challenges.
When a weather event is a true surprise and not able to be reasonably forecast then maritime workers must do their best to deal with it. However, when a weather event, including fog, can be reasonably forecast then maritime employers should not put workers at undue risk of harm.
If you are a maritime worker who has been injured because of an employer’s failure to heed the weather forecast and failure to use proper navigation equipment then you may be entitled to damages. Contact a maritime injury lawyer today for more information about your rights.
September 2nd, 2010
Last weekend, a 55 year old diver was rescued by the Coast Guard after he was found slipping in and out of consciousness. The male diver was aboard the diving vessel Explorer at the time of his injury.
The Coast Guard responded to this Southern California maritime accident near Anacapa Island. The man was taken back to land and transported to St. John Hospital in Ventura. His identity and condition have not yet been released.
August 31st, 2010
Last week, the only crewmember of the commercial fishing vessel Dirty Martha had to be rescued off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The crewman is 41 years old and from New Jersey. His name has not been released.
It is reported that the Dirty Martha started sinking around 11 a.m. on Thursday August 26, 2010. The crewman reported engine trouble but is unsure why the boat began taking on water.
The New Jersey fisherman involved in this commercial fishing incident was rescued by a Gloucester sailboat. He was not injured.
