Maritime employees bear a hefty burden, both metaphorically and literally. Regularly, they are operating complex machinery and expending tremendous physical effort to ensure the safe transit of commercial items aboard docked vessels. Accidents in this atmosphere can cause some of the most severe harm to persons if someone is not on full alert. Some of the most severe injuries can require workers to amputate limbs, rendering them permanently unable to work.
If this is your situation, please contact us right away. Any act of negligence on the part of another that alters your life for the worse cannot go unaddressed. It is your legal right to seek both justice and financial compensation for your damage. Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers offers our services to Lafayette maritime employees who have suffered an amputation due to an accident while on active duty. We will assist you in finding financial stability and compensation.
250 Years Of Combined Experience, Serving Our Clients Since 2014
Injured claimants looking for legal assistance want a results-driven firm they can trust. One that puts family first and won’t mince words explaining their situation and options. We’ll do that and more.
Our priority is defending your rights and winning your case. Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers has been handling injury claims across a broad spectrum for the better part of a decade. Throughout that time, we have assembled a sizable team of professionals who deliver. As a result, our clients have been awarded over $200 million in settlements and verdicts.
You want a law firm that understands the laws that apply to your unique case. We can evaluate evidence and investigate any necessary culpability in a personal injury case. Our lawyers can also stand in proxy for you with insurance. We are here to help relieve the stress, related injuries, and expenses stemming from your accident.
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Providing Legal Services at a Price You Can Afford
There should be no entry barriers to getting us on board with your case. This is reflected in our payment method. When you hire us, the initial service is free. Only after a successfully awarded settlement fund is distributed to you will we accept a small share as payment. If we do not secure your compensation? You owe us nothing.
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Federal Laws Are Implemented to Safeguard Maritime Workers.
As previously stated, Maritime Workers are exempt from Workers’ Compensation laws. Instead, you are covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act and The Jones Act, respectively. These laws overlap, and claims under them can be filed simultaneously.
Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act
The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) is a federal law that dictates that if an offshore worker is injured in the line of duty, they may file a claim under the LHWCA for provisionary benefits such as ongoing medical treatment and reimbursement for lost wages.
Recipients under this act are also given the freedom to choose their doctor if they wish. Seamen are the only maritime workers who cannot submit a claim under this act.
The Jones Act
The Jones Act is a statute that allows injured maritime workers the right to file against their employer for negligence if their injury was the direct result of a third party in the accident that took place. Unlike an LHWCA claim, seamen are not exempt from this act, and can freely take legal action against their employers for financial reimbursement.
Potential damages from this claim include not only medical expenses but a host of other damages such as the following:
- Pain and suffering
- Quality of life
- Mental trauma
- Loss of bodily functions
Amputation affects all elements of your life indefinitely, and your damages should reflect that reality. Medical treatment and potential prosthetics for an amputee are expensive, but other aspects of your life should be considered, even if they are more difficult to calculate in a claim. Our law firm’s experience determining settlement worth will be important in calculating your damages, and you can be confident that we will fight for what is fair for you.
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Contributing Factors to an Amputation Accident
Amputation can happen in a variety of ways in a maritime disaster. Sharp tools, heavy machinery, cables, and other elements can readily cause lacerations and other injuries that may necessitate amputation if it is not inflicted outright.
Job-related accidents can be prevented in many circumstances, although there are various ways that carelessness can result in an amputation accident, some of which are less straightforward, possible causes are included below:
- Defective/Malfunctioning equipment
- Fatigued workers
- Distractions
- Untrained employees
- Failure to follow protocol/instructions.
- Unexpected collisions
Whereas maritime personnel is expected to follow protocol, and failure to do so can result in injury, mishaps involving faulty instruments and substandard equipment would place blame on the employer. While filing a personal injury claim, your amputation injury lawyer will assist you in identifying all responsible parties for your accident and working together to see that they are held accountable for your loss of limb.
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Your Bills Won’t Wait for Financial Reimbursement and Neither Should You
An amputation injury changes your life forever. It is very likely you are no longer able to work your current job and will be left with an employment dilemma even after a successful recovery. Your immediate concern will be your lack of income and immediate expenses, the statute of limitations related to your claims reflect this urgency.
If you file an LHWCA claim, you have no more than 30 days before potentially experiencing issues with your case. For personal injury claims filed under the Jones Act in Louisiana, you must present a claim within one year of the accident to be eligible for compensation for your injury and amputation.
Laborde Earles Offers Free Consultations to Our Clients
There is no replacement for a lost limb, but the least we can do is assist you in recovering and focusing on yourself and your family’s healing. We are available to take your case all year. Contact us immediately and we’ll get you started with a free consultation and our initial assessment of your case.
Get The HelpYou Need(337) 777-7777To Schedule a FREE CONSULATION
24 hours a day • 7 days a week
