Hector V. Pazos, P.E.
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MARINE ACCIDENTS -
INVESTIGATION SERVICES
EXPERT WITNESS |
During the past 35 years,
Ocean-Oil has been retained to assist lawyers, insurance companies, and
owners regarding technical matters in a substantial number of
litigations (over 1,200). We have made surveys and inspections,
prepared reports, and/or testified by deposition and in court in more
than 400 cases involving:
- power and sail pleasure boats
- passenger and cargo vessels
- offshore platforms
- drilling rigs
- fishing vessels
- pipelines
- barges
- floating cranes
- collisions
- salvage
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- towing
- damages to docks
- slip and fall
- inclined and vertical ladders
- fires and explosions
- diving accidents
- noise and/or vibration
- containers
- dredges
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These litigations can be
classified generally as:
- Accident Reconstruction
- Product Liability
- Equipment Failure
- Structural Failure
- Latent Defects
- Vessel Safety and Seaworthiness
- Aquatics/Recreation
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- Design/Construction Defects
- Cause of Vessel Sinking
- Vessel Stability
- Salvage of Vessels
- Engine and Steering Damage
- Personal Injury/Safety
- Biomechanics
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Mr
Pazos' Academic Background: M. S. in Naval Architecture,
Marine Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering, University of Buenos
Aires, Argentina 1959. Further studies at Tulane, Michigan,
Pennsylvania, and Princeton Universities. Courses, Seminars, and
Conferences:
- Structural Steel Design
- Computers
- Vibrations
- Diesel Engines
- Shipbuilding Practices
- Offshore Petroleum Technology
- Underwater Welding
- USCG Auxiliary/Power Squadron/
Safety at Sea
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- Finance and Accounting
- Containers
- Navigation
- Hydraulics
- Propellers
- Propulsion Machinery
- Accident Reconstruction
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PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE OF HECTOR V. PAZOS:
- 1970-present: President, Ocean-Oil
International Corp.
- 1969-1970: Vice President and Chief Engineer, Petro
Marine Engineering, Inc.
- 1969: Department Supervisor, Naval Architecture
and Structures, Avondale Shipyards, Inc.
- 1966-1969: Staff Naval Architect,
Hydrodynamics, FMC Corporation California
- 1960-1966: Ass't Supervisor of the Scientific
Section, Avondale Shipyards, Inc.
- 1960: Designer, National Steel and
Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, CA
- 1959-1960: Assistant to the Chief Engineer, Buenos
Aires Naval Shipyard, Argentina
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ADDITIONAL
QUALIFICATIONS OF HECTOR V. PAZOS IN THE MARITIME FIELD:
- Marine Salvage and Wreck Removal:
Salvage engineer and consultant in many marine mishaps, collisions,
groundings, capsizings, fires and explosions, and wreck removals,
including the complete engineering for the clearance of the Suez Canal,
and the largest lift for salvage in the American Continent: a 5,100 ton
drilling rig.
- Archaeological and Valuable Cargo Salvage:
Research and field operations.
- Extensive International Experience:
Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico, Honduras, Panama, Venezuela,
Trinidad, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, England, Puerto Rico,
Dominican Republic, Antigua, St. Martin, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay,
Canada, Anguilla, Spain, and most countries and islands of the
Caribbean and Central America.
- Sailor, Boatman, Owner-Operator: 38-foot
sailboat, 24-foot power boats, four commercial fishing boats from 49
feet to 85 feet.
- Affiliations: Society of Naval
Architects and Marine Engineers; American Boat and Yacht Council.
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PARTIAL
LIST OF CASES INVOLVING COURT TESTIMONY OR DEPOSITIONS BY HECTOR V.
PAZOS BETWEEN 1992 AND PRESENT: |
- Michael S. O'Brien (attorney) - Joseph Renee
Broussard vs. Hargett Mooring & Marine, Inc. - Testified January
1992
- Rick Christovich (attorney) - The Estate of
Charles Michael DeMoss vs. Union Oil Co. of California, et al -
Testified February 1992
- Allen A. McElroy, Jr. (attorney) - Rita Swilley
Seal vs. EDO Corp. - Testified March 1993
- Ronald L. Buchsbom (attorney) - Kilmon vs.
Prout (explosion on sailboat) - Testified July 1993
- Donald de Boisblanc (attorney) - Accident of
Reggie Acy McDermott - Deposed 12/94
- James T. Catlow (attorney) - Califano vs.
Sea-Land Services - Deposed 4/24/95 - Testified 2/13/96
- Ashton R. O'Dwyer, Jr. (attorney) -M/V Kavo
Kaliakra - collision with ARTCO Fleet - deposed 7/17/95 - Testified
11/30/95
- James P. Lambert (attorney) - Dean A. Strand
vs. Global Divers & Contractors - Deposed 8/2/95
- Richard Mere (attorney) - James Craig vs.
Hornbeck Offshore Corporation - Deposed 10/17/95, Testified 11/27-28/95
- Melvin Eiden (attorney) - Yvette Cullen vs.
McGee's Landing - Deposed 12/95
- John W. McLuskey (attorney) - S. Paul White vs.
Mercury Marine - Deposed 2/16/96
- Frank Spagnoletti (attorney) - Gregory L.
Barnes vs. Dual Drilling - Deposed 2/21/96
- Ashton R. O'Dwyer, Jr. (attorney) - M/V
ESENTEPE II - Attended court settlement on 3/29/96
- Lawrence N. Curtis (attorney) - John Dale Marks
vs. T. L. James & Co., Inc. - Deposed 5/31/96
- Jeffrey A. Mitchell (attorney) - Edwin Burley
vs. Cal Dive Int'l - Deposed 7/19/96 - Attended trial 10/21/96
- Frank Spagnoletti (attorney) - Randy Cole vs.
Tidewater - Deposed 8/6/96
- Ms. Surama Suarez (attorney) - Roxy Roberson
vs. Norwegian Cruise Lines - Deposed 1/22/97
- Frank Spagnoletti (attorney) - M/V Salvador
Allende - Deposed 2/3/97
- Lawrence N. Curtis (attorney) - Troy Salone vs.
Pine Bluff Sand & Gravel Co. - Deposed 8/1/97
- Estelle Mahoney (attorney) - Errol Kiger vs.
Doucet & Adams, Inc. - Deposed 10/97
- Lawrence N. Curtis (attorney) - Orese J.
Fontenot, Sr., vs. Cliffs Drilling Co., et al - Deposed 7/21/98
- Harold Zahner (attorney) - Drillship "SEACREST"
- Attended arbitration on 6/7/99 in Singapore
- Kenneth DeJean (attorney) -Murphy Crochet, Jr.,
et al vs. Double Eagle Marine Inc., et al - Deposed 10/19/99
- Kenneth DeJean (attorney) - Clayton White vs.
Delta Seaboard Well Service - Deposed 11/8/99
- Lawrence N. Curtis (attorney) - Lincoln Lee
Gibson vs. The Gray Insurance Co. - Deposed 12/21/99
- Rex A. Jemison (attorney) / Samuel Harding
(attorney) - Robin Lewis vs. Sea Ray - Deposed 3/9-10-11/00
- Donald F. de Boisblanc (attorney) - Isaac Lewis
vs. State of Louisiana, Dept. of Transportation - Testified in court on
5/3/00
- Stanley B. Gruber (attorney) - Derek
Singleton-Stone vs. Liebherr Container Cranes - Deposed 8/29/00 and
9/27/00
- Lawrence N. Curtis (attorney) - Russell J.
Etienne vs. ENSCO Marine Co., et al - Deposed 11/21/00
- Charles Alagood, G. Ray Bratton, Winslow
Drummon, R. Layne Holley, Kenneth Mascagni, Norwood Phillips
(attorneys) - Various parties vs. The U.S.A., et al - Testified May 25,
2001
- L. Edward McClellan, Jr. (attorney) - Jane
Richardson vs. Bombardier - Testified June 21, 2001
- Lawrence N. Curtis (attorney) - Jimmy Legrand
vs. T. L. James & Co. - Testified August 29, 2001
- Juliette Ferguson (attorney) - Karen Austin vs.
Spirit Cruisers, Inc. - Testified August 31, 2001
- Lawrence N. Curtis (attorney) - Vernon Moody
vs. CNG Producing Co. - Testified September 27, 2001
- Charles R. Talley (attorney) - Jeffrey J. Lott
vs. Greystar Corp., Inc. - Testified November 7, 2001
- Lawrence N. Curtis (attorney) - Brian Smith vs.
Global Marine Drilling Co. - Testified February 26, 2002
- Donald F. de Boisblanc (attorney) - Owen Scott
Anderson vs. Magnolia Marine Transport Co., et al - Testified January
28, 2003
- Samuel David Abraham (attorney) - Larry J.
Viator, Sr. vs. Dauterive Contractors - Testified June 3, 2003
- Edgar F. Barnett, Reich Chandler, Rex Townsley
(attorneys) - M/V Thoroughbred - Testified July 24, 2003
- Matthew Valcourt (attorney) - Nigeria National
Petroleum Corp. vs. S/V Seabulk Merlin - Testified by deposition
January 12 & 13, 2005 and in court March 2, 2005.
- George J. Nalley, Jr. (attorney) – Randy
Thompson vs. Rowan Companies – Testified April 3, 2007.
- Joseph P. D’Ambrosio (attorney) – Joel
Schatzberg vs. Celebrity Cruises, Inc. – Testified October 17, 2007.
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PARTIAL
LIST OF PUBLICATIONS AUTHORED BY HECTOR V. PAZOS AND PUBLISHED:
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Publication: “Was This A Permit Required Confined Space?
Confined Space:
Accident on a Marine Vessel” Publisher: Occupational Heath & Safety
(Magazine) Information: Published in the February 2003 issue.
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Publication: “Was This A Permit Required Confined Space?
Confined Space:
Accident on a Marine Vessel” Publisher: Marine News (Magazine)
Information: Published in the December 2003 issue
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Publication: “Slip and Fall Accidents in the Marine
Environment”. Publisher: Marine News (Magazine)
Information: Published in the February 2003 issue
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Publication: “Slip and Fall Accidents in the Marine
Environment”. Publisher: Maritime Reporter
(Internet) Information: Published on the Internet – February 21, 2003
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Publication: “Increasing Importance of Preventive
Maintenance in View of IMO’S ISM Code and ISO 9000” Publisher: Marine News (Magazine)
Information: Published in the December 2002 issue
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Publication: "Uncommon Marine Accidents: 1). Unsecured
Hatch Cover Resulted in Death 2). Passenger Boarding Ramp Crushed
Passenger's Foot 3). Self-Actuated Transmission Killed Two People"
Publisher: Marine News (Magazine)
Information: Published in the December 2002 issue
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Publication: "Increasing Importance of
Compliance/Preventive Maintenance in View of IMO’s ISM Code and ISO 9000”.
Publisher: Reliabilityweb.com
– in the issue entitled: “Solution Oriented Asset Reliability 09.01.04
- (http://rw.c.topica.com/maacpbeaa9DeNbdWsQNbafpkgk/
Information: Published on the Internet – September 1, 2004
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Publication: "Implementation of a Computerized
Compliance Management System" Publisher: Marine News (Magazine)
Information: Published in the September 2004 issue
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Publication: "How Lack of Attention to Small
Deficiencies Can Lead To A Major Disaster" Publisher: X-Pro News Information:
Published in January 2007
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FORENSIC
ENGINEERING COURSE AUTHORED BY HECTOR V. PAZOS, BEING OFFERED BY
PDHENGINEER AS PART OF THE CONTINUED EDUCATION FOR ENGINEERS PROGRAM
TITLED: "ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION IN THE MARINE, BOATING AND OFFSHORE
OIL FIELDS":
CASE
HISTORIES: COURSE 1:
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Marine
Disaster: Thirteen (13) People Died When A Passenger Tour Boat Sunk Due
To Small Deficiencies.
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Unusual Marine
Accident: Push Boat Capsized and Sunk - Crew Dragged Under a Barge (one
crewmember died).
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Slips and
Falls in the Marine and Offshore Oil Fields.
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Maritime
Disaster: Shift of Cargo Resulted in the Loss of Almost the Entire Crew.
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Deficiencies
Found in Many Marine Stairways and Ladders Resulting in Accidents.
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Cruise Ship
Passenger’s Foot was Crushed by a Boarding Gangway.
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Self-Actuated
Transmission Killed Two People – The Need for Propeller Guards.
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Unsecured
Hatch Cover Resulted in Death.
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Confined Space
Accident.
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Gasoline
Explosion on a 32-Foot Aluminum Cruiser.
CASE HISTORIES: COURSE 2:
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Recreational Boat Accidents.
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Lifting Related Accidents.
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Offshore Personnel Transfer.
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High Performance Power Boat
Design and Construction Deficiencies.
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Offshore Drilling Rig
Accidents.
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Crew Boat Accidents:
Unseaworthiness.
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Collision Of A Boat With A
Channel Marker – Determination Of Who Was The Driver Thru Analysis Of
The Injuries.
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Easy To Prevent Accidents On
Passenger Vessels.
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Predictable Offshore Accidents.
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Personal Injuries Resulting
From Attempting To Board A Crew Boat Thru The Bow and Notes About the
International Safety Management Code (ISM).
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