Maritime attorney Matthew Shaffer has been retained to represent the wife of a tugboat captain who was killed in an accident on the Industrial Canal in New Orleans.
New Orleans, LA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/19/2014 --Attorney Matthew Shaffer has been retained to represent the wife of a tugboat captain who was killed August 14 in an accident on the Industrial Canal.
According to a New Orleans Times-Picayune article, the tugboat was pushing a barge with a crane on it along the 5-mile-long waterway between Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River. The crane struck the Florida Avenue Bridge, and the arm of the crane swung around, hitting the tugboat’s wheelhouse and trapping boat captain Michael Collins.
Emergency crews from the Harbor Police, United States Coast Guard and EMS responded to the scene of the accident. Collins, 44, was pronounced dead as a result of his injuries shortly before 1 a.m., according to the Times-Picayune article.
Shaffer has been a Jones Act attorney with Houston-based law firm Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris since 1992. As a managing partner of the firm, Shaffer has helped thousands of clients from across the nation, including settling the largest single Jones Act lawsuit on record for a client who suffered a brain injury. He has also represented victims and the families of victims of the Deepwater Horizon explosion.
“I regularly litigate tugboat and barge accident cases," Shaffer said. “Helping accident victims is my passion. I give 100% dedication to each and every client, and I will do everything I can to help this family through such a tragic time.”
As a maritime injury lawyer, Shaffer is dedicated to providing a high level of support for each and every client and helping working men and women recover damages for their on-the-job injuries. He has been named a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly Magazine every year since 2006 and has been recognized by H Texas Magazine as one of Houston’s Top Lawyers for the People.
New Orleans attorney Paul Sterbcow, of Lewis, Kullman, Stercow & Abramson, has also been retained to represent Collins’ wife.
About Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris
The accident lawyers at Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris have been helping victims of personal injury accidents for the past 50 years. Combined, their attorneys have more than 100 years of trial experience in maritime, auto and industrial accidents.
If you or a loved one was injured as the result of negligence, call 800-282-2122 today to schedule a free, confidential consultation. Legal assistance is available both in English and Spanish (Español).