Personnel basket transfers are high-risk operations requiring precision, proper equipment, and strict adherence to safety protocols. When a transfer fails—whether due to a dropped basket, a hard landing, or a collision with a vessel or structure—the consequences are often severe. Workers can suffer life-altering injuries or even lose their lives. When that happens, the question becomes: who is responsible?
Liability in offshore personnel basket accidents isn’t always straightforward. Multiple parties may be involved in planning, supervising, or executing the transfer. If any one of them fails in their duties, they may be held legally accountable for the resulting injuries.
Determining Responsibility: It’s Rarely Just One Party
Unlike accidents that occur in a single workplace, personnel basket transfers often involve coordination between different companies, crews, and contractors. These may include:
- The injured worker’s employer
- The vessel owner or operator
- The crane operator or rigging crew
- A third-party contractor supervising the transfer
- The company that manufactured or maintained the basket or lifting equipment
Each of these parties has specific obligations. When those obligations are neglected, and a worker gets hurt, they can be held liable under maritime law.
Common Acts of Negligence in Basket Transfers
Some of the most frequent reasons basket transfers go wrong include:
- Improper crane operation due to inexperience or fatigue
- Unsecured or defective rigging equipment, such as frayed cables or faulty shackles
- Inadequate pre-lift communication between crews or unclear signals during the transfer
- Failure to account for weather or vessel movement, increasing the risk of impact or swing
- Defective basket design or manufacturing flaws
- Lack of proper supervision or emergency protocols
In most cases, a thorough investigation reveals that more than one party contributed to the unsafe conditions that led to the accident.
Maritime Laws That Protect Injured Workers
Injured offshore workers are protected under several federal maritime laws that provide the right to seek compensation from negligent parties. These include:
- The Jones Act, which allows workers classified as “seamen” to bring claims against their employer for unsafe working conditions, improper training, or lack of safety equipment.
- General maritime law, which allows claims for unseaworthiness (such as defective equipment or an unsafe vessel) and negligence by third parties.
- Product liability law, which may apply if a basket, crane, or rigging component failed due to poor design or manufacturing defects.
Understanding which laws apply to your case—and how to pursue a claim under each—is essential to securing full compensation.
What Happens in a Multi-Party Liability Case?
In some offshore accident cases, multiple companies share responsibility. For example:
- A third-party contractor improperly loads the basket.
- The vessel crew miscommunicates the transfer window.
- The basket cable snaps due to poor maintenance by the employer.
In these situations, an experienced attorney can investigate the chain of events, review maintenance records, equipment specs, safety logs, and eyewitness accounts to identify all responsible parties.
Filing claims against each liable entity may allow the injured worker or their family to recover the full value of their losses—not just what one company is willing to offer.
Why Identifying the Liable Party Matters
Pursuing legal action against the right party (or parties) ensures that:
- The correct insurance policies apply
- You maximize your potential compensation
- Accountability is placed where it belongs
- Similar accidents may be prevented in the future through better practices and enforcement
Failing to properly identify the at-fault parties could result in a reduced settlement—or no recovery at all.
Talk to an Offshore Injury Lawyer Today
If you or a loved one was injured in a basket transfer gone wrong, determining liability is one of the most important parts of your case. At Spagnoletti Law Firm, our offshore injury lawyers conduct in-depth investigations and pursue all available legal avenues to hold negligent parties accountable.
📞 Call us at 713-804-9306 for a free, confidential consultation with a maritime injury attorney. You won’t pay any legal fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf.