If you or a loved one have been injured in a maritime work-related accident, you could be entitled to financial compensation
Common Causes of Injuries to Seamen
A lot of factors can contribute to marine accidents. Like severe or extreme weather conditions, many of them are inevitable and simply part of the nature of working on the water. In some instances, carelessness is the only cause of an accident. Other factors contribute to maritime injuries, including
- Slips, trips, and falls
- Exposure to toxic substances
- Flying or swinging items
- Confined spaces
- Burns and electrical injuries.
- Incomplete or total lack of training
- Missing safety signage
- Unseaworthiness of the vessel
- Malfunctioning safety equipment
A seaman injury lawyer serving the Henderson area can assist you in determining whether your accident is due to negligence and can help gather the evidence to prove it.
Laborde Earles injury was great for me they took care of me very fast and professional. If for any reason I need legal help they will be who I use.
ClientThe Jones Act
The Jones Act is a federal law that allows injured seamen to sue their negligent employers directly for compensation. You must meet certain requirements to qualify. You must work onboard a navigable vessel, contribute your work to the overall mission of the vessel, and spend at least 30 percent of your working hours onboard.
I thank God for Digger & David. I don’t know what we would have done if it hadn’t have been for them.
Rick Smith | ClientWhat Is Maintenance and Cure?
Traditional compensation is available to seamen who get injuries in an off-shore accident. Maintenance and cure are the names given to this stipend. The seaman’s everyday expenditures (like rent, food, and electricity) are covered by maintenance, while cure covers medical expenses to treat their injuries. While a seaman is out of work recovering from his or her injuries, these types of compensation may be a lifesaver. For maintenance and cure claims, proof of fault for the accident isn’t usually required.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientWhat Kinds of Other Damages Can My Lawyer and I Pursue?
Your injuries likely qualify for more than basic maintenance and cure. Your Henderson seaman injury lawyer can help you pursue further compensation under the Jones Act if you were injured while working at sea. Some of the damages you could claim include:
- Medical bills, including hospital treatment, physical therapy, surgery, prescription medication,
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- Mental anguish
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning potential
Our seaman injury lawyers understand how the Jones Act works and how to use it to pursue your settlement. The Jones Act allows you to seek reimbursement for all of your medical costs—past, present, and future—connected to the accident.
Under the Jones Act, you can also seek your lost income and diminished earning potential. It’s possible to pursue compensation for the difference in earning prospects if your injuries resulted in long-term physical and cognitive impairments and you can no longer do the same job.
Non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, are also available to you. It might be challenging to put a monetary value on these injuries, but a lawyer from our team can assess and value your physical and psychological injuries.
They treated us like no other people would. Whenever we needed something they were there for us. I put my trust in them and I don’t regret it.
ClientThe Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act
If you don’t meet the eligibility requirements for the Jones Act, there’s also the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA). The LHWCA covers injured maritime workers who get hurt while working on a ship on any of the navigable waterways of the United States or nearby places. This includes wharves, piers, docks, harbors, and shipping terminals. The LHWCA protects dockers, harbor workers, stevedores, ship repairers, shipbreakers, shipbuilders, and port construction employees.
In the case of an employee’s death due to a work-related accident or illness, the LHWCA provides survivor benefits to the employee’s family members. If you’ve lost a loved one in a maritime accident, you could be entitled to financial compensation. A Henderson seaman injury lawyer could answer all your questions, determine which damages you qualify for, and gently guide you through the legal side of this very difficult time.
Important Deadlines
If you get injured at work, you must file your lawsuit within the time limit specified by the Jones Act: within three years of the date of the accident. There are other deadlines you should be aware of under the Jones Act. For example, you must notify your employer of the accident within just seven days.
When filing under the LHWCA, you must file within one year of the date of the accident. You must also notify your employer within 30 days of the date of the accident. Your Henderson seaman injury lawyer can let know about any other important deadlines within the Jones Act or the LHWCA and can help make sure that all of your relevant paperwork is filed on time.
Contact Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers Today
Consulting with a Henderson seaman injury lawyer from our firm comes with no upfront costs or charges. At Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, we’ll review your case in a free initial consultation. In addition, our off-shore accident lawyers work on a contingency basis.
This means if we win and you receive compensation, your lawyer will simply take his or her legal fees out of a percentage of your total settlement package. If we lose, you don’t owe us anything. Contact Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today to schedule your free consultation.
