Case at a glance
- Recovery: Confidential Settlement
- Injury: Back injury with persistent pain
- Practice: Maritime injuries
- Attorney: Brian Beckcom
An injury while securing the tug to a barge
Adrian’s assignment involved breaking the tug out from its tow and then securing a line to a barge. It was a cold, windy day. During the operation, he made repeated attempts to throw the line before successfully securing it.
He reported that the effort injured his back. What followed was not simply soreness that disappeared at the end of the shift. His back pain persisted and affected ordinary activities away from the vessel.
In his testimony, Adrian described difficulty sitting comfortably and sleeping. Even reading and watching a movie at home could involve discomfort. The case needed to account for those changes as well as the physical demands of maritime work.
Brian’s team examined the planning behind the task
The legal investigation looked beyond the mechanics of Adrian’s throw. Brian directed the team to locate crew witnesses and helped shape the expert investigation into the vessel operation.
The team retained a maritime captain to examine the maneuver, the current, cold-weather precautions and pre-job planning. His report addressed whether the work had been organized to reduce the risks of handling a line in those conditions.
The team pursued company policies and training materials, including cold-weather practices and procedures for the operation Adrian had been told to perform. It also questioned a company representative about how those policies worked in practice.
That work gave the lawyers a way to address a central defense: that Adrian should have waited or stopped the job. They examined the responsibilities of the people directing the operation, not only the decisions made by the tankerman on deck.
Treatment helped, but the back pain continued
Adrian underwent physical therapy, epidural steroid injections, facet blocks and radiofrequency ablation. Some symptoms improved, but the treatment did not resolve his back pain.
At a later visit with a neurosurgeon, Adrian reported that his leg pain had resolved while his back pain remained. Sitting and many activities made it worse. The doctor reviewed imaging showing disc changes in the lower back and requested updated imaging to evaluate further treatment.
The legal team assembled medical records and considered future care alongside the impact on Adrian’s earnings and everyday life. The goal was to explain what the injury meant for someone whose job required substantial physical work.
Putting the evidence into a settlement demand
Brian’s written demand brought together the vessel operation, the medical evidence and the consequences of Adrian’s injury. It addressed the defense’s arguments about his own actions and pre-existing conditions while presenting the team’s position on the company’s responsibility.
The team continued discovery and settlement discussions rather than treating the initial offer as the end of the case. The parties ultimately reached a confidential settlement.
The result followed work on both the immediate event and its broader consequences: how the task was assigned, how it was planned and how Adrian’s back injury affected his ability to work and live comfortably.
Questions about the case
Related legal help
Learn about maritime injury claims, or read about Jones Act claims.
To speak with Brian Beckcom about a serious injury, call 877-724-7800 for a free consultation.
Every case is different. Prior results depend on the facts of the individual case and do not guarantee a similar outcome.