Jones Act Attorney Straight Talk: Line Handling Injuries, Negligence & Unseaworthiness

Line handling can be deadly and dangerous. Every year seaman are seriously injured or killed due to line handling mishaps. One thing is certain - most line handling injuries are not accidents. Line handling injuries should be prevented by proper training and planning. This article provides a Jones Act Attorney framework for analyzing whether there is negligence or unseaworthiness if you were injured in a line handling injury incident.

The safe use of lines may be the most basic skill required of deck hands and crew members aboard tugboats, tow boats, barges and many specialized vessels. Too often crew members are seriously injured or killed due to line handling mishaps. Proper training and planning are paramount to preventing line handling injuries.

In many instances, inexperienced crew members are not provided proper training and/or improper planning results in serious injury or death. Line handling can be dangerous during mooring, fueling, towing, underway replenishment, hoisting, and working aloft or over the side.

Line handling is a dangerous operation. The hundreds of thousands of pounds of force created when a ship is mooring or unmooring pose a deadly hazard to crew members. When a line snaps or breaks, the line becomes a danger to anyone on the deck. Or lines can sweep swiftly across the deck and cause amputating type injuries to unsuspecting crew members.

If you are injured in a line handling accident, you need a Jones Act lawyer that can analyze your situation in order to determine whether it was caused by negligence or unseaworthiness. It is a rare instance when a line handling injury is not attributable to poor training and/or poor planning.

What prevents line handling injuries is planning, training and teamwork. Line handling safety procedures include:

Preplanning each operation
Training crew members to not stand in the bight of a line or outboard of a line
Training crew members not to straddle ropes or lines
Training crew members not to stand on lines
Training crew members not to stop a running line by putting a foot on it
Training crew members to never stand at the point where a line can change direction
Requiring safety shoes with skid-proof soles

Disclaimer:

This article is not legal advice. If you are seriously injured in a line handling mishap, you need to consult with a seasoned Jones Act Attorney. Just because you have a legitimate injury, doesn't mean you will be fairly treated by the company. This is because the shipping insurance companies have an arsenal of defense lawyers who are paid to deny your claim.

Whenever you bring a court case, your credibility is always at issue. You must always tell the truth. If you are caught in a lie, you will lose your case. Be sure and hire an honest Jones Act Lawyer.