Tanker Accident Lawyers

Nationwide Representation for Injured Crew Members 

Tankers go by many names, including supertankers, oil tankers, petroleum tankers, crude tankers, product tankers, naval replenishment oilers, LNG tankers, chemical tankers, slurry tankers, hydrogen tankers, juice tankers, and more. These large vessels, specifically designed to carry liquid cargo, are generally classified by what they are carrying and their size. Outside of pipelines, tankers remain the most effective way to transport oil and other liquid cargoes across the planet.

Maritime accidents involving tankers have the potential to be catastrophic due to the sheer size of these vessels and the hazardous cargo they carry. If you were injured while working on a tanker in any capacity, or if you were harmed in an incident involving a tanker while working in a shipyard or on another vessel. Arnold & Itkin is here to help. We represent maritime workers nationwide and have won over $20 billion for our clients.

For a free consultation, contact our tanker accident attorneys at (888) 346-5024.

Tanker Collisions, Allisions & Accidents

Despite stringent safety regulations, tanker collisions, allisions, and various accidents still occur, often with serious consequences for workers, the marine environment, and coastal communities. Such incidents include:

Tanker Collisions  
These occur when a tanker crashes into another vessel. Potential causes of tanker collisions include navigational negligence, poor weather conditions, or equipment failure. Tanker collisions can result in oil spills, fires, explosions, and potential loss of life, as well as significant damage to the vessels involved.

Tanker Allisions  
This term refers to a tanker striking a stationary object, such as a dock, bridge, or port facility. Allisions can be caused by mechanical failures, miscalculations in navigation, or severe weather. They can lead to structural damage to both the tanker and the infrastructure, as well as environmental pollution due to ruptured cargo tanks.

Tanker Groundings  
Groundings happen when a tanker runs aground, impacting the seabed. These incidents may occur due to navigational negligence or unexpected changes in seabed topography. Groundings can breach the hull, leading to oil spills and significant environmental harm, especially if they occur near sensitive ecosystems.

Tanker Fires & Explosions  
Given the flammable nature of their cargo, tankers are at risk for fires and explosions, which can be triggered by the ignition of cargo vapors or mechanical failures, which may be linked to improper storage or handling of tanker cargo. Such incidents pose a severe risk to the safety of crew members and can lead to disastrous pollution incidents.

Tanker Crews Are Protected Under the Jones Act

Introduced by Senator Wesley Jones and enacted in 1920, the Merchant Marine Act (commonly known as the Jones Act) serves to promote the good state of the maritime industry in the United States, and part of that includes protecting the men and women who work within it. Under the Jones Act, seamen have the right to hold their employers liable for injuries incurred while at sea due to negligence. 

A Jones Act case may entitle an injured tanker seaman to financial compensation for medical treatment, lost earnings, loss of future earnings, and pain and suffering. This goes beyond the typical “maintenance and cure” a seaman may be entitled to under general maritime law. 

Contact Our Tanker Accident Attorneys

At Arnold & Itkin, we have a 20-year history of representing the interests of injured offshore workers and seamen. Our familiarity with the Jones Act and admiralty law, as well as our extensive experience handling these cases, has earned us a reputation as the nation’s leading maritime law firm. We have helped after every major maritime disaster in the past two decades, such as the Deepwater Horizon explosion and the loss of the El Faro. If you were harmed in a tanker accident, we have the skill, resources, and experience to protect your interests.

For a free consultation, contact our tanker accident lawyers at (888) 346-5024 or fill out our online case evaluation form.