Costa’s efforts appear to be working. According to Reuters, Costa experienced a 25 percent annual rise in bookings last month, and Costa Chairman Pier Luigi Foschii said, “Costa has bounced back and booking volumes are back to the same levels recorded this time last year.”

As Costa Cruises attempts to move forward and attract new customers, the ill-fated COSTA CONCORDIA sits off the coast of Italy near the island of Giglio, a sad reminder of the 32 lives lost just four short months ago. Captain Francesco Schettino remains on house arrest and could face criminal charges, and the ship removal process is set to begin this month. Meanwhile, the passengers who lived through this terrifying ordeal and the families who lost a loved one are left wondering why this tragedy happened as they try to move on.

Victims of any cruise ship accident, including the COSTA CONCORDIA disaster, may be entitled to compensation from the cruise line, but they must act quickly or the window for filing a claim will pass them by. An experienced maritime attorney protects victims’ rights and knows what steps to take in order to hold cruise lines accountable for their negligence and the negligent actions of their employees.

Have you been injured while onboard a cruise ship? Are you a victim of the COSTA CONCORDIA disaster? Contact a Boston maritime attorney today to learn about your legal rights.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Boston maritime lawyers

• Only allowing authorized individuals on the bridge when the captain is dealing with a potentially risky situation
• Planning a ship’s course ahead of time and communicating it to all bridge team members
• Having more life jackets on the ship than passengers

While these new policies make good sense, the recent announcement begs the question: Why weren’t these policies already in place? Did it really take 32 people dying in the COSTA CONCORDIA disaster for the cruise industry to decide that maybe cruise ships should be required to have more life jackets onboard than people? Did it really take 32 families losing their loved ones in a cruise ship accident for the cruise industry to mandate pre-planned routes? Shouldn’t it have been obvious before the COSTA CONCORDIA tragedy that unauthorized persons on the bridge might be distracting to the captain and cause mistakes to be made?

In addition to these new safety policies seeming like too little, too late, the even bigger issue is that the CLIA and ECC really have no way to enforce them. The CLIA and ECC are both cruise associations, not government agencies with regulatory authority. Hopefully the COSTA CONCORDIA disaster will serve as a wakeup call to the cruise industry, and cruise lines will voluntarily adhere to these new policies. However, until national and international maritime laws are updated, cruise lines may or may not make any changes.

Are you a victim of the COSTA CONCORDIA disaster? Let an experienced Boston maritime attorney fight for the justice you deserve.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Boston maritime lawyers

According to media reports, Barbara and Gerald, known by family and friends as “Barb” and “Jerry,” were both devout Catholics who enjoyed being active within the church community. One example of their church involvement was how Jerry arranged Bible study classes and a weekly home visit for a blind, wheelchair-bound parishioner living in a group home. As the couple prepared to embark on a 14-day Mediterranean cruise, they told fellow church members and friends they were excited about taking the trip of a lifetime. Barb and Jerry are survived by four children and 12 grandchildren.

Passengers and crewmembers who lived through this tragic cruise ship accident have described the events onboard as chaotic, with people screaming and crying as they tried desperately to get off the ship. According to crewmember Fabio Costa, there was a rush for lifeboats as the ship capsized: “Everything just started to fall and everybody started to panic and run.” With the ship on its side, passengers began jumping into the cold water to try swimming to shore.

Victims of this horrific cruise disaster deserve justice. In cruise accident cases, the passenger ticket governs when and where claims must be filed, making it important to consult a qualified maritime attorney with experience taking on the cruise lines.

Were you onboard the COSTA CONCORDIA? Did your loved one die in this unimaginable tragedy? Contact a Boston maritime attorney today.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Boston maritime lawyers

• Tripping hazards
• Slippery conditions
• Unsafe stairways
• Poorly secured scaffolding
• Misuse of ladders
• Elevator or manlift malfunction
• Unguarded waterside edges
• Open hatches that are not marked or barricaded
• Improperly covered hatches
• Missing weather deck rails
• Temporary landing surfaces that are too small or too weak for the loads imposed on them
• Improperly maintained dockboards and ramps
• Unsecured ramps
• Improper rigging and trimming of gangways
• Failure to use nets and other fall protection equipment
• Walking over deck loads without a safe route
• Poorly designed or improperly maintained decks
• Platforms and skids that are too weak for the loads imposed on them, are not well-maintained, or that lack guard rails or safety nets
• Insufficient access to vessels and cargo spaces

Falls can result in broken bones, head trauma, sprains and strains, back and neck injuries, or even death. Maritime workers injured in falls often incur costly medical bills and may have to miss work for days, weeks or even months.

Fortunately, most injured maritime workers can seek compensation under the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, or other maritime laws. The type of maritime claim you can file will depend on the nature of work you perform and the specific circumstances of your workplace accident. A maritime attorney can review your case and determine what legal remedies are available to you.

Need help recovering for your fall-related injuries? Contact a Boston maritime attorney today to learn about your legal rights.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Boston maritime lawyers

Maritime employers should take all necessary precautions to prevent workplace falls and minimize fall-related injuries. Such precautions might include:

• Providing proper fall protection and  safety equipment
• Providing and maintaining proper railings and/or sidings of vessels of the required and/or sufficient height to protect the crew
• Installing nets or rails where falls are likely to occur
• Providing employees with personal fall arrest systems
• Barricading or covering openings
• Properly trimming,  rigging, maintaining and placement of gangways
• Training employees in the safe use of ladders
• Removing tripping and spill  hazards
• Providing employees with safe access to vessels and cargo areas
• Properly securing scaffolding
• Properly maintaining equipment
• Adequately training employees in safe practices

When a maritime worker gets hurt on the job, he or she may be entitled to compensation under one or more maritime statutes, such as the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act, or maintenance and cure laws. Maritime laws are very complex and have certain statutes of limitations, making it important for injured maritime workers to contact an experienced maritime attorney as soon as possible. Without a maritime attorney, an injured worker may not receive the full amount of compensation to which he or she is entitled.

Have you fallen at work? Contact a Boston maritime attorney today to find out what compensation might be available for your fall-related injuries.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Boston maritime lawyers

Fishermen and other maritime workers routinely risk injuries to their hands, feet and other body parts. They work around moving lines and heavy equipment every day. A maritime worker’s hand or foot can become entangled in a line or can be crushed under or between heavy objects, or they can be caught in a capstan, block or net reel. Latti & Anderson LLP has an extensive history representing crewmembers who have injured their hands, feet or other limbs. In many cases, we have represented maritime workers whose fingers and legs have been amputated, and we have obtained multi-million dollar settlements.

When maritime workers get hurt on the job, one or more maritime laws may offer them protections. An injured seaman might be entitled to maintenance and cure compensation and/or damages under the Jones Act and general maritime law, which allows the seaman to recover:

• Past and future lost wages
• Past and future pain and suffering and mental anguish
• Past and future medical bills and medical equipment, like prostheses
• Damages for physical disfigurement

Injured dockworkers, on the other hand, may be entitled to compensation under the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act, including:

• Two thirds of their average weekly wage while they are totally disabled
• Medical treatment and equipment
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Damages for lost body parts

Depending on the type of worker and the circumstances of the accident, other maritime laws may also apply. Some maritime workers may even be eligible for state workers’ compensation.

Determining which maritime laws apply to your case can be tricky, especially without the assistance of an experienced maritime attorney. Maritime attorneys understand the complexities of maritime law and can help you get the maximum amount of compensation available for your injuries.

Need to know about your rights as an injured maritime worker? Contact a Boston maritime attorney today.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Boston maritime lawyers

Based on its investigation of this ferry accident, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently announced it is recommending that all U.S. passenger vessels with controllable pitch propulsion be equipped with an alarm that will audibly and visually alert operators if the propeller fails to respond to commands. The ANDREW J. BARBERI did not have such an alarm.

The 2010 incident was not the first accident involving this particular ferry. In 2003, the ANDREW J. BARBERI struck a Staten Island pier during rush hour, killing 11 people and injuring 70 others. Following that accident, the New York City Department of Transportation Ferry Division implemented a new safety management system. As NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman points out: “The bad news is that the Barberi experienced an unanticipated and unusual failure in its propulsion system. The good news is that no lives were lost and our investigation showed positive safety improvements following the 2003 accident…”

Victims of ferry accidents need an experienced maritime attorney on their side, as maritime law is very complex. One or more maritime statutes may apply to a case depending on the particular circumstances of the accident and whether the victim was a crewmember or passenger.

Were you hurt in a ferry accident? Contact a Boston maritime attorney today to learn about your legal rights.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Boston maritime lawyers

Some islanders worry the COSTA CONCORDIA salvage project will disrupt island tourism and pose a risk to the island’s delicate marine environment. Giglio depends on tourism as a vital component of its economy, and the surrounding waters serve as fishing grounds and a sanctuary for dolphins. As quoted by the Associated Press, Costa Cruises CEO Pier Luigi Foschi has attempted to alleviate those concerns: “As was the case with the removal of the fuel, we have sought to identify the best solution to safeguard the island and its marine environment and to protect its tourism.”

As the salvage process begins, the victims of this tragedy, those who lived through the terrifying ordeal and those who lost a loved one to it, continue to cope with the aftermath. Because cruise accident victims must file personal injury and wrongful death claims within the applicable statute of limitations, COSTA CONCORDIA victims should promptly contact an experienced maritime attorney for legal advice. Maritime attorneys fight to hold cruise lines accountable for their negligence and the negligent actions of their employees.

Are you a victim of the COSTA CONCORDIA tragedy? Contact a Boston maritime attorney today to learn about your legal rights — before it’s too late to file a claim.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Boston maritime lawyers

In January, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) launched an operational safety review, and earlier this month, it appointed a four-person expert panel to evaluate the recommendations that have so far emerged from the review process. Most recently, the CLIA and European Cruise Council jointly announced three policy changes intended to improve cruise ship safety. Announced last Tuesday, these changes include:

• All ships will be required to have more life jackets aboard than people
• Access to the bridge will be limited during periods of restricted maneuvering or whenever increased vigilance is required so as to minimize distractions
• Cruise routes will be planned in advance and will be communicated to all bridge team members before setting sail

When cruise passengers are injured in minor onboard accidents or in a cruise ship disaster like the COSTA CONCORDIA sinking, the passenger ticket governs when and where claims must be filed. It is important for cruise accident victims to contact a qualified maritime attorney who knows the process for filing personal injury and wrongful death claims and has experience holding the cruise lines accountable for failing to keep passengers safe.

Were you injured in a cruise ship accident? Did you lose a loved one in the COSTA CONCORDIA disaster? Contact a Boston maritime attorney today to learn about your legal rights.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Boston maritime lawyers

O’Leary captained the Steven-Scott, a 91-foot tugboat that was carrying jet fuel to Boston when O’Leary went missing.  His crew alerted authorities after realizing he had been missing for nearly an hour, and is not believed to have been wearing a life jacket.

Ships like the tugboat O’Leary was captaining push and pull barges as well as transport materials. Tug and barge accidents can be extremely dangerous for workers onboard, especially if equipment or vessel was not properly maintained or if the worker’s employer or the tug owner failed to institute proper safety measures. Latti & Anderson LLP has represented families who have lost a loved one at sea due to not having the proper railing on the vessel, whether it be lack of a railing or improper height according to regulations. In some cases, crew members have fallen overboard while repairing equipment without the proper safety precautions set up; others have been swept overboard while operating in unsafe sea and weather conditions.

Those who have lost family members in maritime accidents may need help walking through these difficult times and understanding their rights and options moving forward. It is important to start investigating the accident to protect the family’s rights.  An experienced maritime attorney will understand issues from a maritime employer’s liability to the laws affecting offshore accidents.