A Company with a History of Boat Wrecks in Louisiana Adds Another One to the List

Marquette Transportation does it again — a crane mounted onto Marquette’s towboat Kristine Alexis slammed into the Sunshine Bridge over the Mississippi River in St. James Parish in the early morning hours of October 12. The collision ... read more

Emotional Distress and the Zone of Danger in Maritime Injury Litigation

After a maritime accident, PTSD and other emotional trauma can be just as serious of a health problem as a physical injury. Even a near miss accident — one in which a maritime worker genuinely feared for their life — can result in ... read more

Maritime Workers and PTSD

PTSD is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault. Many people think of PTSD as something only war veterans ... read more

Marijuana Testing and Maritime Workers

Since the ’80s, many employers in the U.S. have made testing for marijuana and other illegal substances a regular part of their pre-employment screening process for new hires. For employees in security sensitive jobs such as maritime work, ... read more

Coast Guard Searches for Missing Tug Worker in Mississippi River

The Coast Guard is searching for a crewman who fell off a tugboat Thursday morning in the Mississippi River near Donaldsonville, Louisiana. The missing man was described as African American and authorities say he was last seen wearing an orange ... read more

Louisiana’s HauteWork Combines Safety with Style for Offshore Workers

A new company, HauteWork, is proving that flame resistant clothing (FRC) doesn’t have to be fashion resistant. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) now requires that all personnel working in onshore or offshore oil ... read more

Study Sounds the Alarm on Struggle of Maritime Workers with Depression

Maritime work has always been risky. Bodily injuries, hypothermia and drowning are just a few of the dangers maritime workers must deal with. However, physical dangers aren’t the only hazards seamen face. What about their mental health? It ... read more

17 People Killed when Duck Boat Capsizes in Missouri Lake

Seventeen people were killed Thursday night when a duck boat capsized and sank in Table Rock Lake near Branson, Missouri. Fourteen others survived, with seven of them injured in the accident. The Branson area was under severe thunderstorm ... read more

Offshore Oil Production Is Helping U.S. Become World’s Number One Oil Producer

Offshore oil production appears to be entering a boom cycle, which is great news for offshore workers’ job security. Everyone who works in offshore oil knows that oil prices fluctuate according to supply, demand and politics. For the past few ... read more

Defective PFDs Pose a Danger for Maritime Workers

Imagine being a maritime worker facing an offshore disaster only to find you were unable to don your Personal Flotation Device due to a manufacturer’s defect. The United States Coast Guard recently issued a safety alert to remind ship ... read more

Offshore Disasters: Ignoring the Human Element Can Lead to Tragedy

In order to supply the world’s ever-growing demand for energy, the offshore oil and gas industry has to set up operations farther away from shore and in deeper water than ever before. Advances in technology make it possible for oil ... read more

How Will a Recent Decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth District Affect Maritime Injury Lawsuits?

Does a bankruptcy court have the authority to dispose of a maritime lien through application of bankruptcy law? That was one of the questions put before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth District in a case concerning the maritime ... read more