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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

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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.

What is a Longshoreman?

Workers who load and unload the ship's cargo and are employed by stevedoring companies, longshoremen or harbor worker unions, or who are employed by such companies other than the ship's owners are generally considered "longshoremen" or "harbor workers."

Longshoremen are covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA). They are entitled to a form of federal workers' compensation benefits for on-the-job injuries or death. Longshoremen are entitled to collect benefits if they were injured in the course of their employment regardless of fault.

Longshoremen are not entitled to bring Jones Act or General Maritime Law claims against their employer. The U.S. Supreme Court has made it very clear that an injured worker cannot be a Longshoremen and a Jones Act seaman at the same time. The two laws, and the money compensation they allow, are mutually exclusive.

Although a Longshoremen cannot sue his employer, he may be able to sue the shipowner for negligence. Shipowners have a duty to ensure that the ship's equipment, tools, work spaces and other areas are safe from dangers. Shipowners must warn longshoremen/stevedores of any dangerous conditions on their ships. If the shipowner fails to warn a longshormen/stevedore of a dangerous condition and the longshoremen/stevedore is hurt as a result, the shipowner may be responsible for the longshoreman's damages. See, for example, Scindia Steam Navigation Co. v. De Los Santos (1981) 451 US 156, 68 L.Ed 2d 1, 101S Ct 1614).