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.

Decompression Sickness Resulting from Commercial Diving

Diving accidents can result in serious injuries and conditions. If you or someone you love has been injured in a commercial diving accident, you need to be aware of a potentially fatal illness known as decompression sickness.

Decompression sickness, also known as the “bends” or Caisson’s Disease, can occur hours after a dive and its severity can range from discomfort to life-threatening. This condition occurs when a diver descends into the water and atmospheric pressure increases. The blood and body tissues begin to absorb a higher volume of inert gas, such as nitrogen. This gas cannot be metabolized by the body and must eventually be released. The amount of nitrogen that is absorbed depends on the length of the dive and the pressure. When certain precautions are not taken, the nitrogen can form bubbles in the blood and body tissues that will impact normal physiologic function.

Nearly half of all decompression sickness cases will occur within 90 minutes after the dive and 95 percent will occur within 48 hours. As soon as the signs become apparent, they will progress. The symptoms of decompression sickness depend on where the bubbles have formed in the blood and body tissues. Below is a list of symptoms depending on the location of the bubbles:

Bubble Location – Large Joints of the Body
• Localized pain, ranging from dull to sharp
• Pain from moving the joints

Bubble Location – Brain, Spinal Cord or Peripheral Nerves
• Confusion
• Memory loss
• Headache
• Vision disturbance
• Fatigue
• Seizures
• Dizziness
• Vomiting or nausea
• Vertigo

Bubble Location – Lungs
• Burning chest pain
• Breathing pain
• Shortness of breath
• Dry constant cough

Bubble Location – Skin
• Itching
• Mottled or marbled skin
• Skin swelling
• Sensation of tiny insects crawling on skin

In some cases, the diving company is responsible when a diver experiences decompression sickness. A diving company can be held liable if some action could have been taken to prevent the injury or accident. For example, a diving company can be blamed if standard safety procedures were not followed, which resulted in serious injury or death. Some of the situations where a diving company can be responsible include:

• Unsafe operation
• Improper decompression tables
• Use of experimental tables
• Ascension that was too fast
• Inadequate medical treatment
• Operating outside of the dive table limits.

For more information regarding the rights of injured divers, read our article, “Diving Injuries – Are Diving Injuries Covered Under the Jones Act?” If you or a family member has sustained a diving injury, such as decompression sickness, contact the experienced diving injury attorneys at Vujasinovic & Beckcom P.L.L.C. at (713) 224-7800 or (877) 724-7800.