Miami Barge Accident Attorney
When sailing a barge, it is important for the operators of a barge to exercise caution to ensure all passengers’ safety on board the vessel. However, if a boater fails to act responsibly when operating a barge, this could result in some serious injuries for passengers. If you or a family member was injured on a barge in the City of Miami, you should work with our Miami barge accident attorneys today.
Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A., hopes to offer you our legal services so that you can fight for the compensation you deserve after a dangerous barge accident. The legal team at our firm possesses several years of experience handling various types of boat accidents and would be pleased to work with you. If you would like a free-of-charge legal consultation for your claim, contact us at (866) 386-1762. Online scheduling is also an option.
Common Causes of Barge Accidents in Miami
Barge accidents can happen due to a plethora of circumstances. Documenting the cause of your barge accident will significantly assist you if you decide to file a personal injury lawsuit against the parties responsible for the accident. Below are some frequent causes of barge accidents that our firm can resolve for you.
Explosions and Fires
Many barges are used to transport flammable materials or are used to engage in activities like oil drilling, which presents significant dangers. When management of these materials is negligent, there is a risk they could cause a life-threatening fire that could injure passengers and workers on the ship. Barge fires and explosions are especially dangerous as they could interact with other chemicals onboard and possibly cause the vessel to sink.
Heavy Machinery Barge Accidents
Barges often utilize many types of heavy machinery that are used to load perform work or load cargo onto the vessel. If the owner of the vessel does not implement safety measures when using heavy machinery, workers could be injured while attempting to use them. For example, a worker could be caught in a piece of equipment or could be injured when a coworker incorrectly uses machinery like a crane.
Environmental Barge Accidents
If the operators of the barge are careless, there are a number of ways that an environmental accident could injure crew members. For example, if a person has to work in a low-oxygen area of the barge without sufficient protective equipment, they could experience many types of injuries, such as hypoxia. In some cases, a worker may inhale harmful fumes that can cause cancer and other illnesses if the worker is overexposed.
Inexperienced Sailing
If the captain of a barge is inexperienced when it comes to sailing the boat, this could result in the barge crashing into other ships. This is dangerous as passengers could be thrown from the ship or could slip and fall and incur a serious injury.
Slip and Falls
Barge slip and fall incidents may happen for a number of reasons. For example, the deck on barges is often extremely close to the water, which allows water to often reach the deck of the boat, creating slippery areas where a person could fall consistently. To avoid these scenarios, it is important for the captain or other workers on the ship to clean slippery areas or at least warn passengers of a danger. Note, however, that slip and falls can occur under many other circumstances.
There are other causes of barge accidents that are not discussed above. If you sustained injuries under other circumstances, Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A., would like to represent you. If you want to pursue damages in a lawsuit, speak with a knowledgeable Miami barge accident lawyer that could provide more information about your legal options.
Liable Parties for Barge Accident in Miami
If you experienced severe injuries while on a barge in Miami waters, you may be concerned about the parties that could be held legally responsible for your injuries. A victim of a barge accident should be mindful that there could be multiple parties that are liable for their injuries and other losses.
One party that could be held liable for an injury to a passenger or worker is the operators of the barge. As mentioned, the operators of a barge have a duty to ensure that the barge is free from hazards that could cause grievous injuries to others. However, if this duty is neglected, a victim could file a personal injury lawsuit against the barge operator.
You may also file a personal injury lawsuit if a crewmember’s negligence caused your accident. For example, if a crewmember used heavy machinery recklessly and struck another passenger, the passenger may be entitled to seek a claim against the crewmember.
You may also be able to file a lawsuit against the owner of the barge, depending on the circumstances of your claim.
Call Our Miami Barge Accident Attorneys for a Free Consultation
Being injured or losing a close family member in a barge accident is a tragic experience and our skilled Miami barge accident attorneys want to help you get damages. Barge accident injuries can potentially change a victim’s life, and we believe that you should be compensated for any injuries or losses you sustained. For your free-of-charge case evaluation, make a call to our legal team at (866) 386-1762.
