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We designed this website to provide information to consumers, injured people, and their families. Our goal is to level the playing field between consumers and insurance companies and expose the tricks, traps, and techniques they use to cheat injured people out of their legal rights. We also let consumers know about legal news, including verdicts and settlements and other interesting legal information.

But please understand that nothing on this website is meant to provide legal information about your specific case, create an attorney-client relationship, or imply that the results of your legal case will be the same as some other case.

Maritime Injury Blog

The Houston law offices of Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. post blogs on maritime accidents and offshore injuries.  If a maritime accident has left you injured or unable to work, contact a Jones Act lawyer from our law firm today. We represent people who have been injured at sea or offshore in the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean and throughout the Gulf Coast, Port of Houston and Galveston Bay.
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Jones Act

12/22/2009
Brian Beckcom
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Maersk Alabama crew members file lawsuit

Maritime accident attorney Brian Beckcom is representing six crew members of the Maersk Alabama, the U.S. flagged ship hijacked by Somali pirates in April.

12/2/2009
Brian Beckcom
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Aussie chooses American law firm in claim against drilling company

An Australian man has selected Houston, TX based Vujacinovic and Beckcom to represent his maritime injury case against Frontier Drilling.

12/12/2008
Brian Beckcom
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The Jones Act and Maritime Injuries explained

A common scenario in my office is for a client to walk to our first meeting, having been injured in some sort of offshore accident, and ask me to explain the "Jones Act".  Or they ask me whether they have a "Jones Act" case. 

Or the client asks me about the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act.

All of these questions are answered in my book, Insider's Guide to Winning Your Maritime Injury Case."  The book sells for $29.99 but I give it free to my firm's clients and prospective clients because I want them to have the information the book contains.

Here's a very brief discussion about the Jones Act and the Longshore Act:

The Jones Act

The Jones Act applies only to "seaman."  To qualify as a "seaman," you must contribute the function of the vessel and be a member of her crew.  You can read a short article about seaman status by clicking here.

The definition of "seaman" and "vessel" is a lot broader than most people probably realize.  I've represented welders on jack-up drilling rigs, cooks on offshore platforms, roughnecks and roustabouts on semi-submersibles, drillers on oil rigs in the North Sea, boat captains, deckhands, and countless other workers.

In order to determine (in most cases) if you are a Jones Act seaman, you need an attorney with a lot of experience in Jones Act cases.  Most lawyers will never handle a Jones Act case during their entire career.

The Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

The Longshore Act covers "Longshoreman" and "Harbor Workers."  In other words, workers who aren't seaman but may be worker near the water.

The classic example of the Longshoreman is a dockworker who loads and unloads ships.  While they may work on the ship at times, and over the water, dockworkers aren't Jones Act seaman and can't bring Jones Act cases.

Conclusion

In most situations, you are better off from a purely legal standpoint if you can qualify as a Jones Act seaman.  However, most attorneys know absolutely nothing about how to ensure that you qualify as such, so make sure you find an attorney who knows how to handle these cases or you may literally be giving up a claim worth tens, hundreds, or even millions of dollars,

Injured Offshore? Helpful resources and articles

Do you have a Jones Act or maritime injury case?  The Jones Act and Maritime Attorneys at Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. have successfully handled all types of maritime injury and Jones Act cases.

Before you talk to the company or any insurance adjusters, before you give a recorded statement, and before you choose the wrong attorney for your case, request a copy of Mr. Beckcom's book and read this list of helpful articles.

Interested in learning more about really happens in a maritime injury case?

Click here to request a copy of the "Insider's Guide to Winning Your Maritime Injury Case"

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

http://www.vbattorneys.com/

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

http://www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com/

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?

3.  What is the Jones Act?

4.  How to wreck your Jones Act case

5.  Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury

6.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

7.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

8.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

9.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

10.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

11.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

13.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

14.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

About our law firm

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases.  If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.



12/2/2008
Brian Beckcom
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Offshore injury case against Nabors Offshore and Aramark leads to substantial settlement

Press Release - For immediate release

Houston, Texas - December 2008

We are pleased to announce yet another settlement for one of our offshore clients.

Our client worked as a cook on a Nabors Offshore rig.  He was employed by Aramark in their offshore division.  Nabors had set up a temporary galley on the rig.  The air conditioning units were broken.  The galley got so hot that our client literally passed out, fell to the ground, and seriously injured his head, neck, back, and shoulder.

Our client hired us to prove his negligence case against Nabors Offshore and Aramark Offshore.  We learned during our investigation that both companies knew well before that the galley was dangerously hot and workers should not have been forced to work in the defective galley, but were forced to do so anyway.

We filed his case under the Jones Act and general maritime law.  Nabors Offshore and Aramark Offshore fought us for over a year.  But shortly before we were scheduled to go to trial, Nabors and Aramark agreed to pay our client a substantial settlement.

We hope that the settlement will take care of our client's and his families' financial needs for a long time to come.

Congratulations to another client of ours for obtaining a great settlement in his case!

Injured Offshore? Helpful resources and articles

Do you have a Jones Act or maritime injury case?  The Jones Act and Maritime Attorneys at Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. have successfully handled all types of maritime injury and Jones Act cases.

Before you talk to the company or any insurance adjusters, before you give a recorded statement, and before you choose the wrong attorney for your case, request a copy of Mr. Beckcom's book and read this list of helpful articles.

Interested in learning more about really happens in a maritime injury case?

Click here to request a copy of the "Insider's Guide to Winning Your Maritime Injury Case"

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

http://www.vbattorneys.com/

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

http://www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com/

If you want to know more about offshore injury claims, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?

3.  What is the Jones Act?

4.  How to wreck your Jones Act case

5.  Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury

6.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

7.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

8.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

9.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

10.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

11.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

13.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

14.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

About our law firm

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases.  If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.



Maritime Injuries

5/13/2009
Brian Beckcom
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Deckhand obtains settlement of back injury case

One of our firm's clients recently received a settlement of his Jones Act case.

Our client hurt his back while working for Capital Inland Marine on a pushboat doing work for Kirby Inland Marine .  He needed back surgery.




5/2/2009
Brian Beckcom
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Jones Act Lawsuit Against Megafleet Towing Company

An injured worker has filed a lawsuit in a Harris County District Court against Megafleet Towing Company. The injured worker was working aboard one of the company's tugboats when he was injured earlier this year. After the serious injury, the injured worker was told a short time later that Megafleet does not have a position for him anymore and let him go.

The lawsuit is brought under the Jones Act and General Maritime Law . The injured worker claims in the lawsuit that he qualifies as a Jones Act seaman and is entitled to maintenance and cure and negligence damages.

The injured worker has hired Brian Beckcom and Curtis Bickers and our firm  to represent him in his case.

Have a Jones Act case? Contact our firm to discuss your legal options.

For more information about the Jones Act or General Maritime Law, please contact Brian Beckcom or Curtis Bickers at 713.224.7800, or toll free at 877.724.7800, or visit one of the firm's websites:


www.vbattorneys.com
www.themaritimelawyer.com
www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com



3/4/2009
Brian Beckcom
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King Fisher Marine dredge worker killed in Houston Ship Channel

The Houston Chronicle is reporting that an employee of King Fisher Marine Service LP was killed on March 3, 2009 when the crewmembers were moving a dredge in the Houston Ship Channel.

Although reports are preliminary, it appears that the dredge was being moved to a new job site when an accident with machinery aboard the dredge occured.  The investigation is ongoing.

The initial reports from the Harris County Sheriff's Office indicate that the worker was struck by a crane, although company officials deny there was a crane aboard the vessel.

The accident occured near the San Jacinto Monument around 11 a.m.

Hopefully, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate and determine the cause of this tragic accident.  Hopefully, King Fisher Marine Service will cooperate fully in the investigation.

Maritime Work is Dangerous

These tragic stories are all too common.  The offshore dredge injury needs to take serious steps to increase the safety standards and requirements for their workers.  Dredge work is dangerous, difficult work.  If the companies don't make employee and public safety their number one priority, it becomes even more dangerous.

Read These Articles Before You Hire An Attorney, Give a Recorded Statement, or Sign Any Forms

Do you want to get helpful information that is written for injured workers and their families, and not the company or insurance carrier?  In addition to our websites, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?

3.  What is the Jones Act?

4.  How to wreck your Jones Act case

5.  Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury

6.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

7.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

8.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

9.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

10.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

11.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

13.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

14.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

http://www.vbattorneys.com/

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

http://www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com/

About our law firm

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases .  If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.



2/19/2009
Brian Beckcom
Comments (0)

Helicopter crashes in Gulf of Mexico result in new rules from the FAA and NTSB

On September 6, 2005, a Sikorsky-S76 helicopter with 8 Rowan Company oil rig workers crashed into the Gulf of Mexico 24 miles of Sabine Pass, Texas.  Fortunately, no one died.  But the pilot and 3 other passengers were seriously injured.

In January 2009, 8 oil rig workers were killed when a Sikorsky S-76C helicopter crashed 7 minutes after takeoff.  The helicopter was operated by PHI, Inc., which was operating a helicopter that killed four people last year.

The National Transportation Safety Board recently issued recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration requiring offshore helicopters in the Gulf of Mexico to reexamine their communication policies and procedures to avoid accidents during high traffic periods in the Gulf.

We hope that the NTSB and FAA continue to closely monitor the safety and quality of offshore helicopter operators so tragic accidents like those that have occurred in the past few years will be prevented.

Maritime Accident Claim?

The maritime accident and injury lawyers at our law firm are dedicated to providing seaman worldwide with the best possible representation.  Our goal is go obtain the best possible settlement in the shortest amount of time.

If you have a maritime accident or injury case, before you talk to the company or any insurance adjusters, before you give a recorded statement, and before you choose the wrong attorney for your case, request a copy of Mr. Beckcom's book and read the list of articles below.

If you are really and truly interested in learning about what goes on "behind the scenes" in a Jones Act or maritime injury case, read Mr. Beckcom's book "Insider's Guide to Winning your Maritime Injury Case"

List of helpful articles

Do you want to get helpful information that is written for injured workers and their families, and not the company or insurance carrier?  In addition to our websites, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1.  How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2.  How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?

3.  What is the Jones Act?

4.  How to wreck your Jones Act case

5.  Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury

6.  What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

7.  The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

8.  The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

9.  What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

10.  What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

11.  Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12.  Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

13.  What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

14.  6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

http://www.vbattorneys.com/

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

http://www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com/

About our law firm

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases.  If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.



2/19/2009
Brian Beckcom
Comments (0)

Mr. Beckcom hired by another Norwegian Cruise Ship employee to file cruise ship injury case against NCL

Our firm has been hired by another Norwegian Cruise Line (also known as "NCL") worker who injured her back and neck while working for the company on the Pride of America cruise ship.

We have represented a number of employees or former employees of NCL in their cruise ship accident claims. These claims are all brought under the Jones Act and General Maritime Law .

In fact, I recently travelled to Honolulu, Hawaii to take the deposition of the ship's doctor for the Pride of America cruise ship. The ship's doctor had given our client very cursory medical treatment and then sent her home.

We also represent cruise ship workers who have been injured while working for cruise ship operators other than NCL like Princess Cruise Lines , Holland America , Carnival Cruise Lines , and any other company that operates cruise ships around the world.

Cruise ship injures

Working for a cruise ship can be fun and exciting. However, unfortunately, all too often cruise ship workers are asked to work long hours under difficult conditions with little or no assistance. This can result injuries that can be career-threatening or even career-ending. Such injuries include:

Back injuries;

Neck injures;

Shoulder and knee injures;

Burns;

Crushing injuries;

Head injuries;

And many others.

Cruise Ship Injury Case?

The maritime accident and injury lawyers at our law firm are dedicated to providing seaman worldwide with the best possible representation. Our goal is go obtain the best possible settlement in the shortest amount of time.

If you have a maritime accident or injury case , before you talk to the company or any insurance adjusters, before you give a recorded statement, and before you choose the wrong attorney for your case, request a copy of Mr. Beckcom's book and read the list of articles below.

If you are really and truly interested in learning about what goes on "behind the scenes" in a Jones Act or maritime injury case, read Mr. Beckcom's book "Insider's Guide to Winning your Maritime Injury Case"

List of helpful articles

Do you want to get helpful information that is written for injured workers and their families, and not the company or insurance carrier? In addition to our websites, please take a moment to read the following articles:

1. How to hire the best lawyer for your Jones Act or offshore injury case

2. How much is my Jones Act, maritime injury, or offshore injury case worth?

3. What is the Jones Act?

4. How to wreck your Jones Act case

5. Financial Insecurity and Wrongful Termination - Two Fears After a Maritime Injury

6. What is a Longshoreman and What Are Their Legal Rights When Injured?

7. The difference between the Jones Act and the Longshore & Harbor Worker's Compensation Act

8. The Truth About Offshore Injury Claims.

9. What Should You Do If You Are Injured Offshore

10. What you should know if you were hurt offshore and your employer is giving you a hard time

11. Should I give my employer or the insurance company a "recorded statement?"

12. Do I need to hire a lawyer for my Jones Act or offshore injury claim?

13. What happens when you file a Jones Act lawsuit.

14. 6 Critical Things you must know if you are injured at sea

15. The Secrets Your Employer May Not Want You To Know If You Are Injured Offshore.

16. I was injured on a cruise ship - What are my legal rights?

To learn more about our law firm and what we can do for you, please visit the following websites:

http://www.vbattorneys.com/

www.maritimeaccidentattorney.com

http://www.houstoninjuryaccidentlaw.com/

About our law firm

Brian Beckcom handles Jones Act, maritime injury, and other offshore injury cases . If you want to find out more about our law firm and the types of cases we handle, please visit our Maritime Injury Law practice area page on our main website.

Or, you can send a message to Mr. Beckcom by using the Contact form on this website.



1/19/2009
Brian Beckcom
Comments (0)

Mr. Beckcom publishes new article on seaman's rights to medical treatment and living expenses

Board certified Jones Act and maritime injury attorney Brian Beckcom has written a new article on seaman's rights when they are injured.

Don't be fooled by your employer or the insurance company. If you have suffered an offshore injury or accident, please read Mr. Beckcom's article by clicking here or call Mr. Beckcom to learn about your legal rights.

BP Oil Spill Injury Claims

6/5/2010
Brian Beckcom
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Houston judge ready to handle lawsuits

U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes says he’s ready, willing and able to hear Deepwater Horizon lawsuits in his Houston courtroom.

6/5/2010
Brian Beckcom
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Houston judge ready to handle lawsuits

U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes says he’s ready, willing and able to hear Deepwater Horizon lawsuits in his Houston courtroom.

5/14/2010
Brian Beckcom
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Deepwater Horizon crewmembers angry about "phantom" drill test

The problem is that no records of that fourth test exist because the records allegedly were destroyed in the explosion.

5/13/2010
Brian Beckcom
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Transocean threatens to anger victims by seeking liability limits

By filing a petition to limit its legal liability to $27 million, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon risks incurring the wrath of the victims, says an industry legal expert.

5/13/2010
Brian Beckcom
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Transocean fights victims in Houston law firm’s own backyard

The Houston based maritime attorney’s office is literally a few minutes walk from the U.S. District Courthouse where Transocean filed a petition to limit their liability to $27 million.

5/11/2010
Brian Beckcom
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Message to BP / Transocean survivors: Don’t feel trapped by your signature

Just because you signed a waiver doesn’t mean you threw away your rights. While workers were still trying to clear their heads and have their injuries treated from the Deepwater platform explosion, Transocean and BP were trying to get them to sign their legal rights away.

4/23/2010
Brian Beckcom
Comments (0)

Attorney Brian Beckcom featured in A.P. article on rig explosion

Houston based attorney Brian Beckcom of the law firm Vujasinovic and Beckcom was interviewed by the Associated Press Friday about the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

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