Maritime employers and vessel owners must ensure that the work environment they provide is safe for all their workers. This role is especially important due to the hazardous nature of off-shore work. However, a lot can go wrong aboard a vessel and employers can often fail to ensure safe working conditions. This negligence can lead to off-shore accidents, ranging from minor to devastating, and often result in personal injury to the workers.
If you’re a maritime worker and have sustained injuries in an off-shore accident, an Iota off-shore accident lawyer can guide you through the journey of pursuing compensation. Your lawyer can explain the complex maritime laws you may not understand or anything you find confusing, offering counsel and advice throughout the process.
What Should I do After an Off-Shore Accident?
The actions you can take to safeguard your health and injury claim begin immediately after your off-shore accident.
- Get medical care for your off-shore injuries even if they seem minor. A doctor may be able to notice injuries that are not apparent to you. Your doctor will also provide a record of your injuries and the treatment you need. Keep copies of everything. Medical records are important in validating your damages and will be evidence for your lawyer.
- Report the accident. Remember that under the Jones Act, you only have a week to notify your employer of what happened. Do this as soon as possible.
- At the scene of the accident, take photos or videos if you can. These can help prove negligence for your injury. In addition, take photos of your injuries before and after treatment. Your lawyer can use these as evidence too.
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.
ClientWhat Kinds of Compensation Can I Pursue?
If the negligence of your employer or another crew member resulted in your off-shore accident, your lawyer can help you can hold them accountable. The compensation you receive could cover a variety of losses, including your medical costs. Depending on your injuries, you may need future medical care and extensive physical therapy. If the accident impacted your mobility, you may require devices to help with movement. Your lawyer can help you pursue all related medical expenses.
If you had to take time off work to heal, you could lose income during recovery. Compensation could cover your lost wages. If your injuries are so severe that you can’t resume work in the same capacity, you can pursue lost earning potential.
Other losses are not as simple to quantify. They include emotional distress, scarring and disfigurement, and pain and suffering. You can still pursue compensation for such losses. The type of damages you can pursue impacts the total value of your off-shore accident case. Your Iota off-shore accident lawyer can examine the facts of your case, determine which damages fit your specific situation, and calculate the appropriate amount of your potential settlement.
If your loved one dies as a result of an off-shore work accident, you and your surviving family members can seek wrongful death damages and survivor’s benefits. You could be entitled to loss of companionship, loss of consortium, final medical bills, and even funeral costs. An Iota off-shore accident lawyer can gently guide you through the legal points of this difficult time.
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 | ClientThe Jones Act
The Jones Act protects seamen in the event of an accident at work. This allows them to file a lawsuit against their employer if an accident occurred due to the employer’s negligence.
For you to benefit from the Jones Act, you must fit the qualifications of a seaman. You must work on a navigable vessel and spend at least 30 percent of your time onboard.
Since Jones Act claims are anchored on negligence, you will have to prove that the employer acted carelessly. Your lawyer can assist you in doing that. Your lawyer could collect the relevant evidence and talk to other crew members who witnessed your off-shore accident.
Under the Jones Act, you have just seven days from the date of the accident to notify your employer about your injury. You then have up to three years from the date of the accident to file your Jones Act lawsuit.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientThe Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act
The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) covers those who sustain injuries while working on or near navigable waters. This includes those who load, offload, repair and build vessels. However, this federal law is different from the Jones Act. The LHWCA follows a no-fault structure. This means that you can pursue compensation regardless of who is at fault for the off-shore accident.
Under the LHWCA, you have 30 days to officially notify your employer of your injury and up to two years from the date of the accident to file your injury claim. Your lawyer can inform you of other requirements involved in an LHWCA claim and ensure that it’s filed properly and on time.
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.
ClientCan I Afford an Iota Off-Shore Accident Lawyer?
Medical care today can be expensive and financially draining. You may be facing a stack of unpaid medical bills and wonder how on earth you can afford a lawyer. At Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, we understand that unexpected injuries come with unexpected medical bills. This financial strain can be increased if your injuries were so severe you had to take time off of work to recover.
This is just one of the reasons that our off-shore accident attorneys work on a contingency basis. We start with a free consultation, and you don’t have to worry about paying any upfront costs. If we win, and you obtain 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.
Let our off-shore accident lawyers handle the stress of your injury claim while you rest and recuperate properly at home.
Call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers Today
Injuries resulting from off-shore accidents can devastate you and your family and have a financial, physical, and emotional impact. Pursuing compensation can be the first step in helping you move on from your off-shore accident. Our off-shore accident lawyers serving the Iota area are ready to help. Call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today to schedule a free consultation.
