What Does Maritime Law or Admiralty Law Mean?
This area of law is distinct from state law and applies to events, including injuries, that occur on navigable waters. This could apply to injuries sustained by persons employed at sea, such as seamen and deck hands. Maritime law also applies to persons who are injured by the use of pleasure craft such as jet skis or motorboats. Finally, a form of maritime law also applies to longshoremen and stevedores who are injured in the course of their employment.
Employers have the responsibility to provide a safe environment for its employees who work on the water. Incidents can happen due to unsafe work environments on vessels traveling on the numerous waterways on and around the Gulf Coast. We are personal injury lawyers serving Mobile who have significant experience in the areas of maritime personal injury, including successful representation of catastrophically injured seamen and longshoremen.
If you have sustained a maritime injury while working at sea, you must contact a maritime injury lawyer in Mobile that specializes in the Jones Act. This is how you will be able to recover lost wages and other damages. Our attorneys are also experienced in handling cases involving the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA).
Is There a Difference Between Workers’ Compensation Claims and Jones Act Claims or Longshore Negligence Claims?
There is a big difference between workers compensation cases and maritime injury cases. The Jones Act is a federal law that allows for larger settlements if there is negligence or unseaworthiness involved and you are a seaman. There are also special laws that apply to claims for negligence brought by injured longshoremen. You will want to discuss this with your Offshore Injury Lawyer to ensure you don’t mistakenly file a claim under the wrong law. Maritime law is very complex, so it is best to speak with an experienced lawyer.
Why Should I Hire a Maritime Lawyer?
A maritime injury lawyer can communicate immediately with insurance companies and/or your employer on your behalf. The most important thing to remember if you have sustained an offshore injury is to not sign anything before you ask for legal assistance from an experienced maritime attorney.
You can trust the maritime lawyers at Tobias & Comer Law, LLC for experienced representation if you have been injured in a maritime event. Our attorneys have been successful in many offshore accident and injury cases, including a 2013 barge explosion on the Mobile River where a longshoreman was injured while working on a vessel, a ship yard crane operator who was injured when a vessel toppled his crane, a longshoreman who was crushed by a propeller that dropped while the vessel was in dry dock, and numerous cases involving injury to seamen.
Contact us for a free initial consultation if you are a loved one has been injured or killed working as a seaman, a longshoreman, or as a passenger on a transport vessel.