Spagnoletti Law Firm recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of a longshoreman who was injured by a crane while assisting with unloading cargo unloading from a vessel. Our client was driving his truck assisting with discharging cargo containers from the container ship Sealand Washington. He was proceeding to receive another container at Bayport Terminal, when his truck was struck by a crane which was being serviced at the time by employees of the Port of Houston Authority. The crane struck the cab of the truck at least twice, making contact with our client in the process.
The lawsuit brings negligence claims against the Port of Houston Authority. The lawsuit alleges the Defendant was negligent in the following ways:
(a) failing to adequately assess and repair the dangerous condition of crane #205;
(b) failing to barricade or rope off the area where the crane was going to be serviced;
(c) failing to maintain the crane and/or its equipment in a safe and reasonable state of repair;
(d) failing to take reasonable precautions for [our client’s] safety;
(e) failing to perform adequate safety meetings and analyses to identify and minimize the risk to [our client] and others;
(f) failing to repair the crane in a different location where ongoing operations were not occurring;
(g) failing to provide [our client] with a reasonably safe place to work, including failing to provide proper equipment and sufficient crew;
(h) failing to provide necessary standard operating procedures to ensure that any work to the crane did not create a hazard for other workers and/or operations;
(i) failing to properly supervise the site;
(j) failing to take corrective steps to eliminate or reduce the dangers created by the crane repair work; and
(k) other acts or omissions to be found during discovery and/or trial.
The injured worker is represented by Spagnoletti Law Firm attorneys Marcus Spagnoletti and Eric Rhine.
It can be dangerous to work in any industry when safety considerations are not taken seriously. This is especially so when working on a large ship. Safe maritime companies must ensure that their ships do not put the lives of dock workers at risk. Safe maritime companies must be proactive and take preventative measures, including regular maintenance and repairs, as well as ensuring its crew members are adequately trained.
Our experienced lawyers handle longshoreman personal injury and wrongful death litigation of all kinds and the skills needed to represent the families of loved ones who have lost their lives or those who have been seriously injured as a result of an accident while unloading cargo. The lawyers of Spagnoletti Law Firm have handled maritime lawsuits throughout the country including those involving cargo containers.
The experienced and aggressive vessel accident attorneys at Spagnoletti Law Firm can help you understand your rights if you or a loved one was a victim of a maritime disaster. There are strict and short time limits on making claims related to maritime injuries, so please contact us online or call 713-804-9306 or to learn more about your rights.