Oakland Tug & Barge Accident Lawyer

Working aboard a tugboat or barge is a dangerous business. Deckhands, mates, engineers and captains suffer many injuries onboard tugboats. Line-handling, parting lines, slippery decks, falls off ladders, understaffed vessels and crew negligence all cause significant, severe and lasting injuries. The risk for injury is even greater when the horsepower of a tug is combined with the weight of a barge.

At Venardi Zurada, we have a deep understanding of the plight of working seamen, and we fight to ensure that they get the compensation they deserve when they are injured on the job. We take personal pride in fighting to ensure that fellow seafarers are protected when they get hurt performing their duties aboard a water vessel. If you have been injured while working aboard a tugboat or barge on the California coastline or any other navigable waters, our Oakland tug & barge accident lawyers are ready and eager to help you get the recovery you are owed.

Get the Compensation You are Owed After a Tug or Barge Injury

Because tugboat and barge workers operate on coastal, harbor, and inland waterways, workers aboard the vessels as well as dockworkers are protected by U.S. maritime law, under the provisions of the federal Jones Act. Many tugboats are privately owned, and the owners may operate on slim margins; this gives them incentives to cut corners, avoiding maintenance and safety requirements in the interest of being more efficient and saving a few extra dollars. This behavior, as well as the constant risk of inclement weather and other hazards, can lead to catastrophic injury for workers on the boat and on the dock.

Under the Jones Act, injured seamen can sue the ship’s captain and owner, and even fellow sailors, if they can demonstrate that the negligence or recklessness of these other parties contributed to the accident. In a Jones Act claim, injured sailors can recover a variety of damages, including living expenses while recuperating from injuries and medical bills generated as a result of the injury. In cases of gross negligence, such as an unseaworthy vessel or intoxicated captain, injured workers may be able to sue for punitive damages in addition to pain and suffering and loss of future income. Speak with a knowledgeable maritime injury lawyer at Venardi Zurada to learn what damages you may be able to recover after your tugboat or barge injury.

Experienced Admiralty Lawyers and Sailors

At Venardi Zurada, you get more than just seasoned personal injury attorneys with decades of experience collecting tens of millions of dollars for injured clients. You get more than our years of experience practicing employment law. You also get the benefit of our attorneys concentrating in admiralty and maritime law, as well as their personal experience living and working aboard seafaring vessels.

Celebrated maritime accident attorney Mark Venardi served in the United States Coast Guard for five years, performing search and rescue missions and sailing thousands of combined miles. His professional career before entering the legal practice included delivering sailboats and working on an offshore oil rig, in addition to being an avid sailor, motor boater, fisherman, wakeboarder, wake surfer, surfer, and waterman his entire adult life. Mark knows what it is like to be a working seaman, and he understands the industry. Through that experience, as well as years of professional practice in admiralty and maritime law, the tugboat and barge injury legal team at Venardi Zurada is uniquely qualified to help injured tug and barge workers recover the compensation they are owed under contractual and Jones Act obligations.

Maritime Lawyers Providing Expert Legal Service to Tug and Barge Accident Victims

If you or someone you care about has been hurt while working aboard a tugboat or barge in the Bay Area, the seasoned and effective Oakland tugboat and barge accident lawyers at Venardi Zurada, LLP are ready to help you get the compensation you deserve. We have an in-depth knowledge of both maritime and employment law, as well as personal experience living and working aboard water vessels, and we bring that unique combination of experience to bear in securing the maximum recovery available for our injury clients. Call 833-893-6763 or contact us online for a free consultation.

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