What Our Clients Say

Dear Mr. Beckcom:

I never got a chance to say thank you for the wonderful job you did on my daughter's case. She will be graduating in June from High School with cum laude status. She will be attending college at U.T. Austin and majoring in Communications. Thanks to your efforts her college education has been taken care of. Thank you again from both of us.

J. Perez

Houston, Texas
Mr. Beckcom fought diligently on my behalf against my former employer, without a retainer from me.....I was truly grateful to have Mr. Beckcom on my side and would recommend him to anyone without reservation."

A. Worley, Injured Cruise ship employee

New Mexico
I hired Brian Beckcom in 2009 for the injury case I had after I was hurt as a deckhand and within 11 months Brian had settled my case. He did such a fabulous job and I recommend using his firm for your maritime injury case.

J. McKeone, Deckhand

Livingston, 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
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
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

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.

Commercial Divers at Risk of Gas Embolism

Commercial divers have been known to sustain a serious injury called gas embolism or air embolism. Gas embolism is a medical condition caused by gas bubbles in the bloodstream that obstruct circulation. This condition can be serious and may lead to death. In fact, it is the second leading cause of death among divers. If you are a commercial diver or a family member of a commercial diver, you need to be aware of the symptoms and treatment of gas embolism. Compensation may be available to the injured diver depending on the cause of the gas embolism.

Gas embolism is not linked to diving depth, as it can occur in as little as 6 feet of water. Typically, it affects ascending divers who have been breathing in compressed air. If the diver does not fully exhale when he or she ascends, “the air in the lungs expands as the pressure decreases, overinflating the lungs and forcing bubbles of gas (emboli) into the bloodstream.” If the bubbles of gas reach the arteries in the brain, the diver will become unconscious.

A diver may experience gas embolism if he or she holds his breath during ascent, but it can also result from an airway obstruction or other condition that prohibited the diver from being able to fully exhale. The main symptom of gas embolism is immediate loss of consciousness. If a diver becomes unconscious, it should be assumed that the diver is experiencing gas embolism. Other signs of air embolism is coughing up blood or a bloody foam around the diver’s mouth, which would indicate a lung injury.

If the diver is treated immediately in a hyperbaric chamber, survival is possible. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment deflates the gas bubbles in the bloodstream, dissolves gases into the blood and restores blood flow and oxygen to the brain and other parts of the body. The diver should be kept lying down and oxygen should be given until recompression treatment is available.

In some cases, the diving company is responsible when the diver suffers gas embolism. If the diving company is found to be liable, the injured diver or the family of the diver can pursue compensation. Contact the diver accident attorneys at Vujasinovic & Beckcom P.L.L.C. today at (713) 224-7800 or (877) 724-7800 for legal consultation regarding your diving injury case. We have extensive experience and will help you receive the compensation you deserve.