Maritime Law Attorneys
Tracey Law Firm serving Nationwide
If you were injured on or near the water, you may be entitled to seek benefits under the General Maritime law. Contacting an attorney at our firm is the first step in discovering what your legal rights and options are. At Tracey Law Firm, it is our goal to effectively represent our clients’ interests in order to recover maximum compensation on their behalf following an accident or serious injury. Our skilled lawyers represent clients in cases involving Maritime law throughout the U.S.
In general, if you are a crewman on a vessel and are injured while working, you will be entitled to sue your employer for injuries caused by your employer's negligence under a federal law called the Jones Act. For purposes of the Jones Act, offshore drilling rigs which are moveable and which float from hole to hole (semis and jack-ups), are considered vessels. Therefore, if you were an offshore oil worker working on a semi, a jack-up, a barge rig, a drill ship, or other moveable vessel, you may have rights against your employer under the Jones Act. Your employer will be responsible for paying your medical bills and a small daily allowance throughout the time you are injured. In addition, you will be able to file a lawsuit against your employer if your employer was negligent or if there was something wrong with the vessel which made it unfit for its intended purpose. You could recover compensation for past and future economic loss, pain and suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement, loss of capacity to enjoy life, loss of the ability to perform household services and take care of yourself, and other damages recoverable under the maritime law.
If you are not assigned as a member of the crew of a vessel, but are injured on a vessel, there are many different possibilities as to which law would apply. More than likely you would be entitled to receive workers' compensation payments (roughly two-thirds of your average weekly wage plus medical benefits), but would not be entitled to sue for any additional monies from your employer. However there may be other claims applicable, such as claims against the vessel owner or claims against other third-parties such as product manufacturers, other contractors, etc. The federal maritime workers' compensation (Long shore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act), may also apply if you were injured on land but working near a vessel, such as loading and unloading a vessel, repairing certain parts of the vessel, or doing other traditional long shore work.
Consult a Maritime Law Attorney
If you are injured on an offshore platform or drilling rig, it is vitally important that all such claims be investigated immediately. Consult an attorney at Tracey Law Firm as soon as possible for the legal guidance and representation you need. Memories fade, witnesses disappear, and documents get misplaced. There are also sensitive time deadlines that apply which may prevent you from bringing your claim if they are not met. Depending upon where the accident happened and what law applies, the deadline can be one to three years. Moreover, to preserve certain claims, you may need to take certain steps before the first anniversary of the accident. Before your lawyer can take the necessary steps to protect your interest, he will need time to investigate the facts and parties involved to make sure he has enough information to properly assert the claim.
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