Interested in working with us? Call us on 1.877.724.7800 or fill out this quick form and we will contact you within 24 hours!

What Our Clients Say

I hired Brian after I was hurt on an offshore oil platform. I would recommend Brian and his law firm to anyone who needed a good injury lawyer, and especially any offshore worker. . ..

Jackie R

Houston, Texas
Brian and his staff are courteous and professional, and they work diligently to make sure the client transitions through the process as easily and comfortably as possible.

Your sincere and satisfied client,

Steve T.

Houston, Texas
I was hurt on a boat offshore. Brian and
his law firm worked hard on my case. The settlement he got for me will
take care of my financial needs for the rest of my life. If you are
looking for someone to take your interests at heart Brian and his law
firm can give you the attention your case deserves.

Tim M.

Austin,
Texas
There are only a small number of attorneys who could handle such a complex case as mine, and Brian was at the top of the list. His response time is unsurpassed, replying within minutes to my initial enquiry. He has an instinctive understanding of the legal issues, and consummate people skills, an essential attribute in the negotiation phase of any litigation. Thanks to Brian the case was settled favorably within a year.

Steven S.,

Wales, U.K.
Brian, your book was a real eye-opener. If I had read your book sooner, I would have avoided a lot of costly mistakes.

Captain Jim Vickers
I was hurt on an offshore oil rig. I was unable to work or get proper medical care from the company. I was referred to Brian by another law firm because that firm knew Brian specialized in Jones Act cases. Brian settled my case in less than 12 months. The settlement will enable me to take care of my family financially for a long time. I would highly recommend Brian and his firm to any injured worker.

Freddy N.,

Lufkin, Texas

View All

Disclaimer

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.

Vujasinovic & Beckcom Blog

Jones Act

10/13/2009
Brian Beckcom
Comments (0)

Mariner seeking 480K in injury case gets $2,420 instead

A contract pilot who alleged he injured his knee while boarding his vessel has been awarded less than one-percent of the amount he was seeking.

Phillip Crow, plaintiff, sued Cooper Marine & Timberlands Corporation for unseaworthiness, negligence, maintenance, cure and lost wages.

In August of 2007, Crow, while carrying two 12 packs of drinks, claimed he hurt his knee after slipping while stepping aboard his vessel. Crow claimed he experienced severe pain after hearing what he described as a "pop and grind" sound after the slip. He sued the company for failure to provide proper ingress and egress aboard the vessel.

Crow sought $480,000 in compensation for lost wages and future pain and suffering.

However, the Alabama district court ruled that there was no evidence that his employer acted in bad faith. They also cited Crow's conflicting testimony; in court Crow claimed that after the injury he immediately announced the incident to several crewmembers in the galley.

However, in his deposition he claimed that no one was in the galley.

Thus, he was awarded only $2,420 in maintenance.

Learn your rights as a seaman by ordering free copy of The Insider's Guide to Winning Your Maritime Injury Case written by Jones Act and maritime accident injury lawyer Brian Beckcom.

Maritime Work is Dangerous

Our maritime lawyers realize that maritime work can be dangerous when companies cut corners on safety. That's why we've dedicated our time to putting out free information for workers.