Personal Injury Law

Casilda Shipping of Malta, Genesis Seatrading, Inc. of Greece, and the chief engineer of a cargo ship have been charged with the illegal dumping of oil and other waste into the ocean. Pantelis Thomas is charged with falsifying log books, as well as other charges related to illegal dumping.

According to the indictment filed by the Justice Department and US Coast Guard, when the Rio Gold arrived at the Port of Oakland in May, crew members complained that Thomas ordered them to dump oil and waste from the engine room into the ocean. The legal process of disposing waste involves waiting until the ship is able to unload onshore or burning it aboard the ship. The crew also alleges they were ordered to construct "magic pipes," which bypassed standard procedure and then dump the waste into the ocean. One crew member took a picture of one of the pipes while the ship was headed toward Oakland and turned it over to the Coast Guard.

Thomas is a Greek citizen, and has been barred from leaving the US until this is resolved. At least eight other foreign crew members who were witnesses must also stay in the country.

The Ocean Dumping Ban Act of 1988 made it unlawful for anyone to "dump, or transport for the purpose of dumping, sewage sludge or industrial waste into ocean waters after December 31, 1991." However, there are a number of other laws, both state and federal, in place to prevent this.

There are several risks to the public as a result of ocean dumping:

• Exposure to hazardous or toxic materials that wash up on the beaches
  
• Human consumption of marine organisms contaminated by toxins dumped in the ocean
  
• Occupational injuries as a result of accidents or exposure
  

Radioactive contamination of fish and shellfish poses a worldwide problem due to dumping nuclear waste into the ocean, and this country is no stranger to medical waste periodically washing up on the shore where beachgoers are exposed.

Furthermore, heavy commercial and recreational fishing goes on in many of the areas where ocean dumping occurs. There have been a number of flu-like illnesses as a result of swimming and surfing in areas that are polluted by ocean dumping in California.

If you or a loved one has been sickened or injured due to being exposed to something dumped into the ocean, please contact an injury lawyer with experience in environmental law or toxic tort to see if you have a claim.