Houston, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/27/2015 --A body found Aug. 6 in the Mississippi River has been identified as a man who has been missing since a barge capsized last year.
The state medical examiner confirmed the man was identified as Juan Nieves, who died in April 2014 when the barge overturned about 35 miles upstream from where his body was found.
Two men went missing when the vessel turned over. The body of Nicolas Perez Hernandez was found 17 days after the accident about 10 miles downstream.
The accident occurred on the Mississippi River while the barge was unloading at a shipping terminal near Blytheville that is owned by Houston-based Kinder Morgan. According to reports, two steel coils rolled to the shore ward side of the vessel, which caused it to list. About 20 more coils followed, causing the barge to overturn.
The incident is indicative of insufficient safety measures for workers, according to maritime lawyer Dennis McElwee.
McElwee, a partner of maritime law firm Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris, has represented injured workers from across the United States and around the world. He represented two Kinder Morgan employees after a vessel capsized in the Houston Ship Channel.
"River barges can hold just as many dangers for workers as a vessel that's 100 miles offshore," McElwee said. "The owners of vessels and shipping terminals, as well as the employers who hire port and vessel workers, are legally and morally obligated to make safety a priority, ensure workers are well-trained and operate vessels that are properly equipped for the tasks at hand."
McElwee added that U.S. maritime laws protect the rights of injured workers and their families to receive fair and reasonable compensation when these companies fail to meet the proper safety standards.
About Shaffer & Harris
The personal injury attorneys at Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris have spent decades helping victims of all types of accidents. Their attorneys have more than 100 years of combined trial experience in maritime, auto and industrial accidents.
If you are a seaman, offshore worker, or port worker who was injured as a result of negligence, call 800-282-2122 today to schedule a free, confidential consultation with a maritime injury attorney at SMSH. Legal assistance is available both in English and Spanish (Español).