Personal Injury Claims: Why Brookes Bell’s Local Expertise Matters in the United States

In the United States, personal injury claims make up a large part of Brookes Bell USA’s work. From offshore incidents in the Gulf of Mexico to accidents on inland waterways, the team’s breadth of technical and investigative expertise ensures clients receive precise, timely, and defensible advice.

“Personal injury work is a big part of what we do in the US,” says Martin Twomey, Director of Brookes Bell USA. “It is a market where claims are often complex, the stakes are high, and the need for accurate evidence is critical.”

The US vs UK

While both the US and UK maritime industries deal with personal injury claims, the environment in which those claims are handled is markedly different. In the UK, personal injury claims are generally dealt with through a more uniform legal framework, with relatively predictable costs and outcomes. In the US, the legal system is more fragmented, with significant variations between states and a greater tendency towards litigation.

“In the US, claims can be driven by state-level law, and in some cases, jury trials,” explains Martin. “That can create much higher financial exposure for ship owners, operators, and insurers compared to the UK. Having an expert who understands the legal context and the technical aspects is absolutely essential.”

The nature of the claims also differs. Offshore oil and gas work, fishing fleets, river transport, and the cruise sector each present unique risk profiles. Accidents can involve anything from falls on deck and machinery-related injuries to more serious incidents such as fires and explosions.

The work

Brookes Bell USA combines its on-the-ground presence with access to the company’s global pool of Master Mariners, engineers, scientists, and specialists. This enables the team to investigate accidents swiftly, preserve vital evidence, and provide expert witness testimony that stands up to scrutiny in court.

“We might be looking at an incident on an offshore platform one week, then a crew injury on a towboat on the Mississippi the next,” says Martin. “In every case, our job is to establish the facts clearly: what happened, why it happened, and what could have been done to prevent it.”

The team’s expanded presence across the United States means faster mobilisation and a deeper understanding of local conditions, while Brookes Bell’s global network ensures that even highly specialised expertise - for example, complex metallurgy or human factors analysis - is available within hours.

In a high-stakes litigation environment like the US, expert evidence can be the deciding factor in a case. Brookes Bell’s role is not only to investigate and analyse but also to communicate findings in a clear, credible, and authoritative manner.

“Cases can turn on the smallest detail. A measurement, a photograph, a statement from a witness,” Martin notes. “If those details are not collected and analysed correctly from the start, it can have a huge impact on the outcome.”

The value of engaging an expert early cannot be overstated. Evidence can degrade or disappear, memories can fade, and the opportunity to conduct a thorough investigation may be lost. By involving Brookes Bell at the earliest possible stage, clients ensure that their case is built on a solid technical foundation.

With Houston as its base, Brookes Bell USA is ideally positioned to serve the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River system, the East and West Coasts, and beyond. The company’s expanding presence in New Orleans, New York, and other key ports strengthens its ability to respond wherever incidents occur.

As Martin sums up: “Whether it’s in the UK, the US, or anywhere else, the fundamentals are the same: clear, independent, technically accurate evidence. The difference in the US is the pace, the scale, and the legal environment. That’s why local expertise matters so much.”