Over 80 Combined Years Of Maritime Law Experience

We Can Help You Seek Compensation For Injuries And Lost Wages

Maritime injury lawyers James Beard and his partner Lanning Trueb of Trueb Berne & Beard, LLP, are available to represent Astoria, Warrenton and Hammond commercial fishermen in claims under the federal maritime law and the Jones Act. Beard is one of the Northwest’s most experienced maritime injury lawyers. He has handled hundreds of Jones Act injury claims and recovered millions of dollars in compensation for Oregon commercial fishermen.

Don’t accept blame for an injury accident that wasn’t your fault. Learn about your rights to compensation from a lawyer with over 30 years’ experience representing injured fishermen.

Millions Recovered For Injured Crewmen

Astoria, Warrenton and Hammond-based commercial fishermen work in some of the toughest sea and weather conditions in the world. Their lives depend on their vessel being seaworthy and having a competently trained crew. Your employer owes you a legal duty to provide you with a safe place to work. The vessel equipment must be properly maintained and safe. Putting a few more pounds of crab, salmon, shrimp, sole or Pacific Whiting on board in rough weather or on a boat that needs repairs is not worth the risk of permanent injury or death. A moment’s negligence can lead to a crewman’s career-ending injury or death. If proper training and safety procedures are followed and sound equipment is provided to the vessel’s crew, most injury accidents on commercial fishing vessels could be prevented.

Beard and his partners at Trueb Berne & Beard, LLP, understand how accidents happen aboard Oregon commercial fishing vessels, and they know how those accidents could have been prevented. They understand the impact injuries have on commercial fishermen and how those injuries impact their ability to work in the future.

Are You Entitled To Benefits To Compensate You For Your Injuries?

With few exceptions, an injured commercial fisherman is entitled to maintenance and cure benefits. These medical and time loss benefits are a no-fault benefit for which you are entitled to make claim under federal maritime law. If you have been injured as a result of the unseaworthiness of your vessel or the negligence of an owner, employer, captain or fellow crewman, you may be entitled to claim money damages to compensate you for your injuries.

Don’t trust the insurance company or boat owner to treat you fairly. As soon as the vessel’s insurance company receives notice of your injury, they begin defending against your claim. Insurance companies make their money by paying as little as possible on each injury claim. Shouldn’t you have an experienced maritime injury lawyer on your side to protect your rights? Beard and his partners at Trueb Berne & Beard, LLP, seek fair and reasonable compensation for his client’s injuries.

You’re Job Is Tough — So Are We

Under federal maritime law, preexisting medical conditions are not a bar to compensation for aggravation of that injury. Contributory negligence is not a bar to your injury claim; instead, maritime law applies comparative fault, measuring the fault of the owner or employer against any alleged fault of the injured crewman.

Astoria is one of the most productive commercial fishing ports on the west coast. In 2014, Astoria fishing boats landed 122 million pounds of fish and shellfish with an estimated value of $47 million. Oregon and Washington continue to participate in a derby-style crab fishery where crewmen race to see which boat can catch most of the quota. In the race for the cash, crew safety is sometimes a forgotten priority. Commercial fishermen working out of Astoria must regularly cross the treacherous Columbia River Bar and work on treacherous ocean waters. It is critical that their vessels be seaworthy and fully equipped with modern life-saving equipment.

Call Us To Discuss Your Potential Claim

Beard is licensed to practice law in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. He grew up in Ilwaco, Washington. You can hire Beard and his partners at Trueb Berne & Beard, LLP, to represent you on a contingency fee basis. A contingency fee means you pay no fee until there is a recovery in your case.

Don’t guess about your rights to benefits under federal maritime law. Contact an experienced maritime injury lawyer to discuss your case. Never sign a release of your injury claim without consulting with a lawyer. Call 425-403-1900 or send us a message online to discuss your injury case with Trueb Berne & Beard, LLP. If Beard says you have a good case, that opinion is based upon 30 years of experience successfully recovering money damages for commercial fishermen injured doing their jobs.