New Orleans Boating Accidents News

Any time an accident happens on the water or in the ocean, a whole different set of laws come into play and that can cause a lot of problems for people who want to sue cruise lines for damages. The Herald Tribune reports. A local lawyer’s parents were on the Grand Princess ship, one of the cruise ships that tested positive for the coronavirus. She sued the cruise line for breaching its duty to provide reasonable care after it was reported that a previous voyage had a death due to the virus. However, the lawyer has an uphill battle. There are many laws at work against claimants that haven’t been updated since before the Titanic disaster. But that’s not stopping her from trying. So far, she has filed nine lawsuits on behalf of passengers. Despite the dangers to passengers and crew, cruises are still happening around the world and spreading the virus around. They have a lot of legal protections because many ships are registered in countries outside of the US. This means they do not have to comply with things like the ADA, building codes, or safety features. They have no incentive to improve conditions. We hope that in this extraordinary circumstance that the plaintiffs are successful.

Some people choose to practice their social distancing by getting out onto the water. But with all the recent storms, that’s dangerous. One woman visiting New Orleans lost her life on Lake Pontchartrain in a boating accident. NOLA.com reports. On Thursday of last week, two people took out a bay boat onto the lake in the afternoon. They headed back to shore well after nightfall after a storm hit, but the boat capsized and threw both of them into the water. The man was found with a flotation device tucked under his arm, but the woman wasn’t able to put on her life vest before she was thrown into the water, according to the authorities. The man was found the next morning. The woman’s body was found a few hours later. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is investigating the accident. Yes, life vests may be bulky and hot, but they may be the only thing that keeps you alive in a boating accident. Even if you can swim, putting one on after you’re in the water is hard to do. But if you wear one and fall in, you can float back to shore and conserve your energy. They are as important as wearing a seatbelt. Always wear your life vest if you’re going out on the water.

The rising waters of the Mississippi seem to be causing trouble for several ships lately. A container vessel ran aground in St. Bernard Parish and threatened the levees. NOLA.com reports. The Coast Guard announced that they successfully rescued a container ship that ran aground near Caernarvon. The ship was travelling from the Port of Mobile to the Port of New Orleans and ran aground in the wee hours of the morning. This area of the river is a difficult point due to a tight turn. Thankfully, in this case, there were no injuries, pollution, or damage to the levees nearby. Local residents even stood on the levees to watch the repair work. In a little under 12 hours after the crash, the ship was back on its way. However, traffic on the river had to be held back during the process. This was no small ship either. The ship is 1,100 feet in length and can carry over eight thousand shipping containers! Had this ship rammed a levee, it was certainly heavy enough to cause a lot of damage to one. Given the higher waters lately on the river, the flooding would have been disastrous. Cheers to the Coast Guard for freeing the ship safely!

Earlier this year, a tugboat collided with a barge and caused it to sink, killing two individuals. Now the same vessel may have just been involved in another accident. Claims Journal reports. The tugboat Cooperative Spirit reportedly crashed into the Luling Bridge on Sunday, sinking two barges of grain in the process. The tugboat was pulling 29 of them at the time. The bridge carries I-310 over the Mississippi river west of New Orleans. The Coast Guard is working to recover the additional cargo. No injuries were reported in this crash. The prior crash happened in January when the tugboat crashed in the RC Creppel, sinking it. The families of the deceased crew members have filed a wrongful death suit in that case. American River Transport filed a claim saying they weren’t liable for damages or injuries in that crash. Accidents on the water involve a completely set of personal injury laws from accidents on land, especially if you’re on the job. If you are injured while on a boat, you need to speak with a personal injury attorney with experience in this kind of case law. You and your family may be eligible for substantial compensation if you are hurt in a boating accident.

Marine collisions are a complicated area of law, but that doesn’t mean that families cannot receive compensation if they’ve had a loved one injured or killed while serving on a vessel. The site Workboat talks about a lawsuit filed by a family after a crash happened recently on the Mississippi River near New Orleans. On January 26, the RC Creppel was struck by the Cooperative Spirit. Both vessels were large tugboats. The RC Creppel was pushing barges carrying sulfuric acid, one of which leaked after the accident. The RC Creppel sank due to the collision and four crewmembers went overboard. One was found by a passing vessel and rescued, but a search by the Coast Guard did not turn up the missing people. In response to the accident and the failed search, the family of one of the missing crewmembers has filed a lawsuit against the owners and operators of the Cooperative Spirit, ARTCO and Elite Towing. The missing people are now presumed dead. We hope that the family is able to get the answers they need to find closure after this incident, and that they receive substantial compensation. By all accounts, the Cooperative Spirit is the vessel that was at fault. Additionally, the Mississippi River is dangerous for swimming. There are many strong currents and undertows that can make people drown and carry them far from where they fell. The Coast Guard searched over 800 nautical miles of the river before giving up the search.