Houston Personal Injury Lawyer
September 3, 2010
Oil platform explodes off Louisiana coast; 13 crew members rescued
An oil platform exploded and burned off the Louisiana coast Thursday, the second such disaster in the Gulf of Mexico in less than five months. This time, the Coast Guard said there was no leak, and no one was killed.
The Coast Guard initially reported that an oil sheen a mile long and 100 feet wide had begun to spread from the site of the blast, about 200 miles west of the source of BP’s massive spill. But hours later, Coast Guard Cmdr. Cheri Ben-Iesau said crews were unable to find any spill.
The company that owns the platform, Houston-based Mariner Energy, did not know what caused the explosion.
Mariner officials said there were seven active production wells on the platform, and they were shut down shortly before the fire broke out.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said the company told him the fire began in 100 barrels of light oil condensate, but officials did not know yet what sparked the flames.
The Coast Guard said Mariner Energy reported the oil sheen. In a public statement, the company said an initial flyover did not show any oil.
Photos from the scene showed at least five ships floating near the platform. Three of them were shooting great plumes of water onto the machinery. Light smoke could be seen drifting across the deep blue waters of the gulf.
Joe Stephens cares deeply for the injured, the unfortunate, and the oppressed who need someone to honestly and aggressively represent them. He represents people who have experienced a serious injury or the wrongful death of a family member. His twenty years of experience include extraordinary verdicts and settlements against trucking companies, admiralty and maritime defendants, insurance companies, negligent healthcare providers, and defective product manufacturers.
Joe B. Stephens Experienced Lawyer
Joe Stephens has tried over 100 Houston jury trials protecting
the rights of the poor, the injured, the forgotten, and the
downtrodden. His specialty in trying cases to a jury has earned
him recognition across the country. He has won many important
personal injury trials, including wrongful death, and serious
injury cases. "Joe Stephens has been chosen by a blue ribbon panel as a Texas Super Lawyer." Only the best lawyers in the country are considered for this
honor.
Joe Stephens is a high-profile Houston trial attorney who has won highly publicized cases like the Clara Harris domestic violence case, the Quarry Market Mall Murder case, and the Hodgson Murder case.
His twenty-two years of experience includes extraordinary Houston courtroom victories, and settlements in personal injury cases involving truck and car accidents, wrongful death, and product liability. His courtroom success also earns favorable personal injury settlements because his opponents know his reputation He is loved by his clients because he listens with his heart, treats them with respect, and cares about them as if they were his family.
Joe Stephens has two board certifications which prove his trial competence. One by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a Civil Trial Advocate; the second by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law. Less than one percent of lawyers in America have one board certification. Only a handful have two certifications.He has also been named to the list of Texas Super Lawyers. Only 5 percent of the attorneys in the state are named to the list. The selection process includes peer nominations, a blue ribbon panel review and independent research of candidates.
Joe Stephens is also AV Rated by Martindale - Hubbell, the highest recognized rating a lawyer can attain in ethics and legal ability. This is a testament to the fact that his peers rate him at the upper echelons in his profession.
He represents the common man, the regular woman, the ordinary person. These are folks who usually do not have the money to advance towards a lawsuit. Therefore, if he does not win any money for his clients, he does not charge them anything.
Joe Stephens has received national recognition for his success and his integrity. In 1999, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America awarded him the F. Scott Baldwin Most Outstanding Young Trial Lawyer Award for exemplifying the highest ideals of a Trial Lawyer by demonstrated, excellence, compassion, honesty, and caring in his profession. . He was chosen by legendary lawyer Gerry Spence to serve in the Trial Lawyers College. He graduated in the Summer of 2006. Few lawyers in our Nation belong to this elite group.
An independent rating organization, AVVO ranks Mr. Stephens in the upper echelon of its members.
Client Testimonials
Joe,
"Whoo hoo!!! Thank you for your hard work , skill and awesome negotiations in getting this settled! I really believe my father found the BEST personal injury lawyer we could have had under any circumstances and I feel very fortunate. I will have no hesitation in referring my family, friends and colleagues to you in the future."
Sincerely,
George W. Cobb D.D.S
Practice Areas
The Stephens Law Firm has an established
reputation in handling any personal injury case, because of their
courtroom and negotiation skills. They have achieved
extraordinary results for Houston clients during 22 years of
practice in all types of cases, including : Wrongful
Death, Houston 18 wheeler, truck accident, Houston personal
injury, and Houston Offshore injury.
Personal Injury Law Process
It may be that you have become the victim of an personal injury accident in the Houston area, or anywhere in Texas. Then it is important that you get council from an experienced legal litigation professional. You may be entitled to compensation if you have suffered mental or physical injury that has root cause from the fault or negligence of another party. Joe Stephens, an experienced Houston personal injury attorney will be able to advise whether your case is valid, once you have provided the necessary details at your initial free meeting.
You may not have to worry about up front fees when you enlist the services of the best Houston personal injury lawyer attorney, as Joe Stephens works on a contingency fee basis, which means that you only have to pay after you get your award. This compensation is your entitlement, based on your situation. He is a good, experienced Houston personal injury lawyer attorney that is the best choice, so you will have no problem getting him to support you with your claim.
Following a filed litigation claim for a personal injury you may also be able to get economic damage recovery for any medical expenses or earnings loss in addition to compensation for your pain and suffering. Joe Stephens will be able to put together a solid lawsuit in order to increase your chances of organizing a successful claim.
There are statutes of limitation to take into consideration when you are looking to enlist the services of a Houston personal injury lawyer attorney, as this means that it is important to act quickly. Do not miss the deadline for filing your compensation claim. You may find that you are no longer entitled to claim any compensation or damages to which you may have been eligible.
Joe Stephens Texas Super Lawyer
Selection Process of Super Lawyers
The General Survey
We mailed thousands of ballots to attorneys across Texas. We asked attorneys to vote for the best lawyers they have personally observed in action - whether as opposing counsel, as co-counsel, from first-person observation in the courtroom, etc. Our intent was to discourage lawyers from voting for others based purely on reputation.
Each ballot had the name of the addressee-attorney on it. Only ballots properly verified by that attorney (with signature and attorney registration number filled in) were counted. more...
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