Mississippi Accident Lawyer Blog

An explosion at VT Halter Marine shipyard killed two workers and injured four others. Alex Caballero of Pascagoula,MS and Dwight Monroe of Moss Point, MS were killed in the accident. The deadly explosion happened in the hull of a tugboat where a tank was in the process of being cleaned in order to be painted. One of the injured was taken to the USB burn center and another was airlifted to Mobile in critical condition.

Explosions need to have some type of explosive material and an ignition source. Sometimes toluene, which is highly flammable, is contained in the cleaning fluids that are used to clean these surfaces to prepare for painting. The fumes from toluene can ignite from up to 8 feet away from the liquid. Careful inspection of the tank is required to discover any unsafe areas which may cause an explosion. Adequate ventilation is also required in case there is a build up of any unsafe fumes. If fumes build up in the tank, it is like a time bomb waiting to go off. Any spark from any source, even a light switch, can ignite the fumes.

My law firm just handled a case similar to this one which involved an explosion of a tank killing three workers and injuring another. The tank that exploded contained a small amount of oil which produced fumes that ignited when the welder lit his torch to weld on an adjacent tank. The fumes from the one tank ignited even though that was not the tank that was being welded on. The National Chemical Safety Board investigated the accident and found that both the owner of the premises and the contractor were at fault for not cleaning and/or inspecting the adjacent tank before allowing anyone to weld in the area. We concluded a multi-million dollar settlement for the families after properly working up the case for trial. IF you would like to see the video of the incident click here.

If the employer or maker of the product knew that there was a potential for an explosion yet chose to do nothing about it, then there may be a claim for punitive damages.

Call me for a free copy of the lawsuit that I filed in this case for your review.

If you know of someone who was injured or killed in an explosion and have some questions, call Paul Snow now to discuss your legal rights. We offer a FREE consultation to anyone who has any questions. Call 601-969-1977 or 1-800-640-4478 or contact us online. We represent clients all over Mississippi including Jackson County, Pascagoula, Moss Point, Ocean Springs, Gulfport, Biloxi, Escatawpa, Jackson, and Mobile, AL.

Information provided by Mississippi Accident Lawyer Paul Snow.

Doug Childs was hunting in Oktibbeha County, MS when he was accidentally shot by another hunter. He was hunting off of Hawkins Road near the Choctaw County line. The family of Mr. Childs has a claim against the other hunter for negligence for not positively identifying his target before pulling the trigger. A hunter should practice gun safety at all times and know what is in front of and behind the target.

In an unrelated hunting accident, a 10 year old girl and her mother were shot and injured while riding their horses on a trail designated for horseback riding. The girl suffered a punctured lung and is in the intensive care unit at a local hospital. The trail is 21 miles long and used for hiking and riding and is near public roads where it is illegal to hunt from. The shooter was ticketed for hunting from a public road.

If the hunter was living in a home that had homeowners insurance, then a claim could be made under that insurance policy to cover the damages up to the policy limits of the insured. If you are hunting out of your vehicle, then the car insurance may apply.

If you know of someone who has been injured or killed in a hunting accident and have some questions, call Paul Snow for a FREE consultation to discuss your legal rights at 601-969-1977 or 1-800-640-4478 or contact us online.

Information provided by Mississippi Accident Lawyer Paul Snow.

Offshore Accidents

If you are injured or know someone who was killed in an offshore accident, do you know your rights?

If you know someone who was injured or killed as a result of the actions of someone else or conditions of a vessel, you should contact an experienced maritime attorney. Paul Snow discusses some of our past experience in representing families of victims of such accidents. Because the rights of the family members of a maritime accident dramatically depend on the classification of the vessel involved and the status of the victim as a seaman or a passenger, the family's rights must be analyzed carefully by an experienced maritime attorney. The Law Office of Paul Snow is licensed to practice law in Mississippi and Louisiana, and have handled a number of offshore accident cases in the past to successful conclusion.

If you are injured or know someone who was killed on a fixed platform, do you know your rights?

A determining factor will be whether the platform is located in state waters or on the Outer Continental Shelf of the United States . The victim's rights can depend upon whether the accident resulted from the negligence of a vessel operating near the platform, the platform operator itself, or its contractors. Analyzing the rights of the victim in such an accident is extremely complex and you should contact an experienced maritime attorney if you have been injured or know someone who has been killed on a fixed platform. The Law Office of Paul Snow is licensed to practice law in Mississippi and Louisiana, and have handled a number of fixed platform accident cases in the past to successful conclusion.

If you are injured or know someone who was killed on a vessel such as a jackup, semi-submersible drilling rig, or drilling ship, etc., do you know your rights?

Rights of maritime victims depend upon whether the victim is an employee of the operator of the vessel, a passenger, or a member of the crew, or which jurisdiction governs the area in which the accident occurred. You should contact an experienced maritime attorney if you are injured or know someone who was killed as a result of the actions of someone else or condition of the vessel. Because the rights of the victim of an offshore accident depend on the classification of the vessel involved and the status of the victim as a seaman or passenger, the rights of victim must be analyzed carefully by an experienced maritime attorney. The Law Office of Paul Snow is licensed to practice law in Mississippi and Louisiana, and have handled a number of maritime accident cases in the past to successful conclusion.

Will I be fired if I bring a claim?

When someone is injured or killed in an offshore accident, usually the employer's insurance company will pay for the medical bills and compensation while the victim is out of work. The employer will recover the money they paid out if the victim is successful in making his claim against a negligent third party who caused the accident; therefore, the employer should be more than agreeable to allow the claim to go forward since the employer will be reimbursed any monies that they spent through their insurance company if the claim is successful. The Law Offices of Paul Snow is licensed to practice law in Mississippi and Louisiana, and have handled a number of offshore accident cases in the past to successful conclusion.

The Law Offices of Paul Snow handle claims involving wrongful death and personal injury of workers aboard: jackup drilling rigs, semi-submersible drilling rigs, drill ships, barges, supply, utility and crew boats, seismic vessels, dredges, jackup barges, diving vessels, commercial fishing boats, offshore and inland tug boats, and helicopters.

If you have some questions, call Paul Snow now at 1-800-640-4478 for a FREE consultation to see if you have a case or contact us online.

The driver of a John Deere tractor, McKenzie C. Beilmann, was killed when he was struck from behind by the driver of a large cement truck. The accident happened on Hwy. 98 in the westbound lane of traffic. The Mississippi Highway Patrol said the truck driver "ran through him." Mr. Beilmann was taken to Forest General Hospital where he later passed away. He is survived by his parents Frank and Randolyn Beilmann, a sister and a brother. Our prayers go out to the family.

WHO CAN MAKE A CLAIM AGAINST WHOM AND WHY? The family of Mr. Beilmann can make a claim against the insurance company for the driver of the truck since he caused the accident. Mr. Beilmann had a right to use the highway just like anyone else. The truck driver had a duty to keep a proper lookout and to properly control his truck at all times. He must have been speeding or going too fast for the circumstances because he couldn't stop in time. Claims could be made for medical and funeral bills, pain and suffering, lost income, and loss of the society and companionship of their family member.

If you know of someone who has lost a loved one in an accident and have some questions, call Mississippi Accident Lawyer Paul Snow at 601-969-1977 or contact us online for a FREE consultation to see whether or not you have a case. We represent clients in all kinds of accident cases including large truck accidents, car accidents, 18 wheeler accidents, motorcycle accidents, and accidents involving tractors.

Information provided by Mississippi Accident Lawyer Paul Snow.

Insurance Denial of Claim

Each day dozens of people in Mississippi suffer severe personal injuries. Those injuries can include brain injury, back injury, neck injury, injuries to hands or feet, injuries to the face, internal injuries, injuries to the hips or knees, or similar injuries.

If you or a loved one has been injured because of someone else's negligence, Mississippi law states that you have the right to recover money damages for your injuries. If the insurance company denies your claim, call Paul Snow to discuss whether or not you have a case. Remember, both parties can be at fault and you still may recover damages for your injuries.

You have a right to recover damages for your past lost wages, future lost wages, past medical bills, future medical bills, car damage, and any other related expenses. In addition, the law states that you are entitled to money damages for pain and suffering you have experienced in the past and will experience in the future.

Every successful claim for personal injuries has three parts:

• You suffered injury

• Someone else may be partly at fault

• There is insurance money to pay for it

I have been representing injured clients for over 34 years. If you have suffered a serious personal injury, you should call my office. There is never a charge for discussing your case. If we take your case, there is no fee until we win.

In Mississippi, the law imposes a statute of limitations which sets the maximum amount of time that legal proceedings can occur after the date of the accident. Each year at my law office, people call me to ask me for help that have legitimate cases, only to find out that their time limit has run out. It is one of the most difficult things for me to tell them that I cannot help them because they waited too long to call me.

I have been a personal injury lawyer for over 34 years. Please call Paul Snow at 601-969-1977 or 1-800-640-4478 or contact us online, for help and advice if you or someone you know has suffered an injury. I am here to help.

Fire / Burn Injuries

Most common burns are caused by:
Flammable gas or liquid fuel explosions
Automobile accidents
Electrical accidents
Industrial accidents
Gasoline spills
Building fires
Defective candles
Lighters and matches
Hot water / Scalding

Burn patients recovering from serious personal injury burn accidents, including third-degree burns, often require expert medical treatment to deal with the long term physical and psychological effects of their injuries. The Law Office of Paul Snow understands that your immediate goal, or that of a loved one, is insurance company payment of medical bills and compensation for lost wages and other damages.

Personal Injury Attorney Paul Snow will discuss with you your situation and go over legal options available to you, as well as work with the insurance companies and other parties involved to ensure that your medical care, financial, and other needs are handled quickly and appropriately.

If you or a loved one has experienced a burn injury, please contact us online or call us at 601-969-1977 or our toll free number 1-800-640-4478 to set up your FREE consultation to discuss your legal rights.

Information provided by Mississippi Accident Lawyer Paul Snow.

A man riding a bike on Hwy. 555 was struck by the driver of a 2008 Chevy pickup truck pulling a trailer going in the same direction. The driver of the pickup truck was passing the bike when the accident happened. The bike rider was either Mason Storm or Nathan Seyfarth. The injured person was taken to Natchez Regional Medical Center with severe injuries and later transferred to University Medical Center in Jackson, MS.

The driver of a bike has as much right to use the highway as a motorist according to the Rules of the Road. Also, the driver of the pickup is not supposed to pass unless he can do so safely. The injured party can make a claim against the driver of the pickup truck for not warning the bike rider that he was approaching and was about to pass in addition to other things.

We represent clients who have been involved in bike accidents all over MS including Natchez, Jackson, Lucedale, Gulfport, BIloxi, Hattiesburg. If you know of someone who was injured in a bike accident and have some questions, call Paul Snow for a FREE consultation at 601-969-1977 or 1-800-640-4478 or contact us online.

Information provided by Mississippi Accident Lawyer Paul Snow.

Tasha Kelly, a passenger in a red Mustang which was traveling west on the I-20 frontage road was killed when a Dodge pickup truck crossed over into oncoming traffic and hit the Mustang. The driver of the Mustang was taken to the University Medical Center with personal injuries. Ms. Kelly was pronounced dead at the scene. After the accident, the driver and passengers of the pickup truck fled the scene of the accident.

WHO CAN MAKE A CLAIM AGAINST WHOM AND WHY? The driver of the Mustang and the family of the passenger can make a claim against the owner of the pickup truck's insurance company because the driver of that vehicle caused the accident. But, suppose there were no insurance on the pickup truck; then, a claim can be made against the insurance company who insures the Mustang for uninsured motorists benefits. Hit-and-run accidents are covered by the uninsured motorists provisions of the policy. Additionally, the family of Ms. Kelly may make a claim against their own insurance company for the same type of benefits. Funeral bills are covered by the medical pay benefit of the policy.

If you know of someone who has been injured or killed by a hit-and-run driver and have some questions, call Paul Snow at 601-969-1977 to discuss your legal rights FREE of charge or contact us online. We represent families who have lost a loved one in an accident involving car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, 18 wheeler accidents, drunk driving accidents, and any kind of wrongful death case.

Information provided by Mississippi Accident Lawyer Paul Snow.

The Law Office of Paul Snow represents clients seriously injured in accidents caused by another party's negligence in:

Vicksburg, Tupelo, Starkville, Southaven, Ridgeland, Pearl, Pascagoula, Olive Branch, Natchez, Meridian, Laurel, Jackson, Hattiesburg, Gulfport, Greenwood, Greenville, Columbus, Clinton, Clarksdale, and Biloxi. We also represent personal injury accident victims in Louisiana from New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

We are dedicated to seeking justice for our clients and obtaining the maximum recovery for their accident cases.

Personal Injury Lawyer Paul Snow represents personal injury victims in a number of areas, including:

Car / motorcycle / truck accidents, catastrophic injuries, exposure to hazardous substances, Jones Act seaman claims, legal malpractice, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, onshore & offshore injuries, premises liability, and products liability.

Our successful track record of obtaining the best results for our clients allows us to provide our clients with the manpower, resources, and tools necessary to successfully resolve your personal injury claim.

Over the years, we have developed a network of highly qualified experts and other key professionals that we rely on to help us to prove our clients' injury/accident cases.

The Law Office of Paul Snow will deal with the insurance companies of the parties liable for the accident to make sure that you are treated fairly and that you receive the maximum recovery that your injuries warrant. We will fight for what is in your best interest, whether we decide to settle the case out of court or take the case all the way to trial. We will fight for your right to compensation for your injuries, lost wages, medical costs, pain and suffering, and other damages.

We seek justice for our clients and understand that a good settlement or a victory in court requires hard work, dedication, and ongoing communication with accident and medical experts, legal professionals, and especially our clients.

The statute of limitations for filing an injury action or lawsuit in Mississippi may limit your claim. Please call us right away to discuss your case FREE of charge. We handle injury and accident cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you only pay for our services if we obtain a recovery for you.

To schedule your FREE consultation with Paul Snow, call 601-969-1977 or 1-800-640-4478 or contact us online.