Page 20: of Marine News Magazine (April 2015)

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COLUMN INSURANCE

A D T to use, enabled him to continue his professional career. Six

UAL HREAT

Faced with negligence charges from the U.S. Coast months later he had successfully met the terms of his pro-

Guard following his interview and civil suits from the boat bation and was close to settling the civil suits.

and dock owners, the captain’s attorney was able to reach This was a sobering incident that produced a gut-wrench- an agreement with the Coast Guard to settle the case with ing seven months to follow. With the help of his attorney, a 90-day license suspension, of which 30 days had to be the ordeal will eventually fade to memory. The lessons served immediately, followed by a 60-day probationary pe- learned – how to avoid such a problem in the future and the riod in which the master could continue to work on his ongoing need for license protection – endure forever. license but would have to serve the balance of his 90-day suspension if he had another chargeable incident while on probation. The civil suits, which are still pending, are be- ing handled by the same maritime attorney who negoti-

Randy O’Neill is Senior Vice President ated the reduced sanction with the Coast Guard.

with Lancer Insurance Company and has

So what began as a lazy sun-drenched day on the riv- been Manager of its MOPS Marine License er quickly deteriorated into a harrowing and potentially

Insurance division since 1984. Over the past career-threatening afternoon for the veteran tug captain 29 years, Mr. O’Neill has spoken and written on many because what was, arguably, a brief moment of inattention occasions on the importance of USCG license protection. and the whims of Mother Nature. And, while the civil suits

He is a regular contributor to MarineNews magazine. must still be dealt with, the license and civil defense policy

He can reached at: [email protected] that the master had purchased years earlier but never had

April 2015

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