Admiralty Law

The Firm has extensive experience in admiralty litigation. Admiralty Law is a unique body of law traditionally applicable to injuries to seamen, usually governed by the Jones Act, but also applicable in a variety of other contexts. Admiralty jurisdiction may lie in both state and federal courts, and so these cases tap our extensive substantive and procedural experience. A number of our Admiralty cases have involved helicopter crashes. We also have extensive experience in product liability litigation in the admiralty context and the unique issues of law applicable to those claims. Our specialization in catastrophic personal injury matters further sets us apart in our ability to understand and present our clients' positions in these matters.

The following are some of the admiralty matters the Firm has handled:

• The Firm represented the family of a San Diego man who was killed in a helicopter accident. The Firm obtained a settlement of $3,850,000 for the widow and her three sons.
• The Firm represented a chief engineer of a tuna boat who suffered a lumbar strain when a floorboard broke and gave way on the vessel while at sea in the Western Pacific. The case was tried before a jury in San Diego Superior Court. Although the client had no objective evidence of injury (MRI, x-rays, and nerve conduction study were all negative), the jury returned a verdict in our client's favor in the amount of $1,075,000.
• The Firm represented a helicopter pilot working on a tuna boat who suffered serious injuries when his helicopter began to shake violently and crashed into the Western Pacific. The Firm pursued a product liability action against the manufacturer, claiming that the main rotor hub assembly was defective, which caused the main rotor blade to depart. The helicopter sank immediately after the crash and was never recovered. The manufacturer argued that the helicopter was not defective, that no blade loss occurred and that our client was solely responsible for the crash. The case was tried in San Diego Superior Court and the jury awarded our client damages in the amount of $2,741,000.
• The Firm also represented the tuna boat captain who was a passenger in the same helicopter referenced immediately above. In addition to the award for the pilot, the Firm was able to secure a verdict of $3,036,000 for the captain.
• The Firm represented a tuna boat captain who was injured while working aboard the vessel. The captain was hit in the head with a cable. Defendants alleged that the captain was the sole cause of his injuries under an admiralty law rule known as the primary duty doctrine. In a bench trial, the Court awarded our client $486,031 in damages even though his medical bills were approximately $5,000.
• The Firm represented a tuna boat captain who was injured during a helicopter crash off the coast of Costa Rica. The captain suffered burns, and a back injury which required surgery, when the helicopter crashed onto the deck of the tuna boat. The Firm was able to secure a settlement before trial of $2,250,000.
• The Firm represented a captain/owner of a tuna boat who suffered serious injuries in a helicopter accident. The Firm obtained a settlement of $3,700,000 for the captain prior to trial.
  The Firm represented a crew member who slipped and fell while working on the skiff. Although the client did not have surgery, he sustained a significant injury to his back. The Firm obtained a settlement of $210,000 for the crew member.
• The Firm represented a captain of a longliner in the Alaskan Fishing Fleet who injured his back while breaking ice off the bow of the vessel while fishing in the Bering Sea. The firm obtained a settlement of $390,000 for the captain.