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Offshore Injuries

At Barnes Law Firm, we represent people and families of loved ones with Offshore Injuries throughout the Houston, Texas area. Barnes Law Firm has represented people from all walks of life who have suffered an Offshore Injury, or an injury on the Texas intracoastal waterways or Gulf of Mexico. Barnes Law Firm offers a free case evaluation of your Offshore Injury claim.

Offshore Injuries tend to be quite unique. An offshore injury does not usually fall under any particular set of Texas State laws. There are various federal and international laws that regulate Offshore Injuries because most Offshore Injury claims happen “offshore”. The law controlling an Offshore Injury claim will depend on numerous factors and facts specific to the particular case, including the geographical location of the injury, the type of ship or vessel on which the Offshore Injury occurred, the occupation of the injured worker, the type of injury sustained, and the actual employer of the injured worker.

Offshore Injury claims are extremely complicated, and depending on how your Offshore Injury occurred, you may have significant rights against various parties. Your rights to recover a claim may fall under one or more of the following (depending on the facts of your Offshore Injury):

The Jones Act
The purpose of the Jones Act is to protect ill or injured “seaman.” A seaman is generally a person employed on a vessel or a movable structure navigating or floating on an ocean or intra-coastal waterway, and contributes to the vessel or structure’s function or mission. The definition of a “seaman” generally does not include a longshoreman, pilot, or other person who works on a stationary platform. Various Offshore Injuries, including those on offshore oil rigs, are covered by the Jones Act. Settlements in Jones Act cases can be significant.
The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act
Offshore or Maritime workers may be entitled to compensation under the “The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act” if they have suffered from an offshore injury or illness during the course of their employment on a vessel or other floating movable structure. The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act covers maritime workers who are not eligible for protection under the Jones Act because they do not meet the definition of a “seaman.” Settlements in Longshore cases can be significant.
The Death on the High Seas Act
This Federal law may apply when a person dies while on the “high seas”. High seas are defined as being at least 3 miles off the United States coastline, however in some cases, it may be extended further based on the original wording of the statute. The beneficiaries, such as a spouse or child, may be able to recover damages for the loss of a loved one; however, the recovery of such damages may be limited depending on the particular facts of the case.

If you have questions concerning an Offshore Injury sustained by you or a family member while working Offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, please contact the Offshore Injury attorneys at Barnes Law Firm at (888) 661-4002 or locally at (713) 652-4002 for a free initial consultation to discuss your rights. Se habla español

At Barnes Law Firm, LLP, we represent injured offshore workers, oil rig workers, longshoremen, maritime workers, fishermen, and harborworkers in Houston, Texas, including the Port of Houston, Missouri City, Baytown, The Woodlands, Pasadena, Channelview, Katy, Texas City, Laporte, and those injured in Texas intracoastal waterways or the Gulf of Mexico. Contact us to arrange a free initial consultation and evaluation of your Offshore Injury.

Barnes Law Firm works strictly on a contingent fee basis and advances all upfront costs of a case including the investigation, case development, litigation, expert witnesses and court costs. Those expenses, in addition to our fee, are deducted from the ultimate recovery. And if we are not successful in a recovery in your case, we absorb all costs and charge no fee.