Spagnoletti Law Firm has filed a Jones Act lawsuit on behalf of a seaman who suffered serious injuries while working aboard a commercial fishing vessel. The lawsuit alleges that negligence, unsafe working conditions, and unseaworthiness of the vessel contributed to a preventable accident, leaving the plaintiff with severe and lasting injuries.
Incident Overview
On May 8, 2024, the plaintiff, a deckhand aboard a commercial fishing vessel, was performing routine duties when a critical equipment failure resulted in a devastating injury. During operations, the plaintiff and another deckhand were pulling a fishing net from the water using a pulley system. The lawsuit alleges that the rope became tangled, causing a metal component to break off from the equipment and fall onto the plaintiff’s head.
The impact knocked the plaintiff unconscious, leaving him with serious injuries to his head, neck, shoulders, and back. The plaintiff contends that these injuries were not caused by any fault of his own, but rather by the unsafe condition of the vessel and its equipment, which should have been properly maintained and inspected.
Allegations of Negligence and Unseaworthiness
The lawsuit claims that multiple safety failures contributed to the plaintiff’s injuries, including:
- Failure to provide proper and adequate equipment to ensure that fishing operations could be conducted safely.
- Failure to properly maintain and inspect the vessel’s gear, including the pulley system, which allegedly malfunctioned.
- Negligent oversight of crew operations, leading to unsafe handling of heavy equipment.
- Lack of sufficient training and safety procedures, which could have helped prevent the accident.
- Failure to conduct pre-operation safety checks, which would have identified the defective component before it caused harm.
- Failure to provide a safe working environment, making the vessel unseaworthy under maritime law.
The plaintiff asserts that these failures created a dangerous work environment, which directly led to the accident and his subsequent injuries.
Contact Spagnoletti Law Firm for Maritime Injury Claims
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to a vessel’s unsafe conditions, equipment failure, or employer negligence, you may have grounds to file a lawsuit under the Jones Act and general maritime law. The attorneys at Spagnoletti Law Firm have extensive experience handling cases involving unseaworthy vessels, maritime equipment failures, and unsafe working conditions.
To learn more about your legal options, contact us online or call 713-804-9306 for a free consultation. There are strict deadlines for filing maritime injury claims, so don’t wait to take action.