At work, seamen face many challenging occupational hazards. They brave harsh weather conditions, work at great heights and are expected to react quickly to the demands of their jobs. In the course of duty, some seamen fall victim to various dangers that cause temporary or permanent injury.
If you or a loved one are injured in a work-related maritime accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation. A Meaux seamen injury lawyer from our firm can help.
Common Causes of Maritime Injuries
Recent advancements have transformed the maritime industry into a somewhat safer work environment. But, even with safety measures that can seem to account for all scenarios, it’s impossible to predict how an accident might occur. Some of the leading causes of maritime injuries include:
Exposure to Toxic Chemicals & Gases
Rigs and vessels mine and transport toxic chemicals and gases every day. Employees in these environments must exercise care by wearing the proper protection at all times. A mishap or spillover can trigger a series of dangerous conditions that can cause severe injuries and burns to workers.
Explosive Incidents
Vessels have compartments that house powerful machinery that run vital functions. An explosion of machinery in small quarters can cause devastating consequences for workers nearby. Such outbreaks often occur because of human error and poor ship maintenance.
Electrocution
Electric cables are lined with protective covers to ensure workers don’t handle them. When cables or sockets are poorly insulated or exposed to water, they can cause severe electrocution. Electrocution can be responsible for tissue & nerve damage and can even lead to cardiac arrest.
Falling Overboard
Working on the deck means constant exposure to the sea, making falling a dangerous situation. While workers that fall overboard might survive, such incidents could cause hypothermia or even drowning.
Slips and Falls
For nearly all maritime workers, wet surfaces are a fact of life. These conditions pose serious fall risks at any time. Slip and fall accidents on wet surfaces can lead to broken bones, fractures, and head impact injuries, including concussions and even brain injuries.
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What Kinds of Damages Can My Lawyer and I Pursue?
Maritime laws allow various benefits that seamen and maritime workers injured on the job and their lawyers can claim. These provisions are in place to ensure that the injured worker maintains comfortable living conditions while they are off work. The recoverable benefits from a bodily injury at sea include:
The Loss of Your Earnings
An injured worker can miss valuable workdays and, as they recuperate, still need support to meet their daily financial needs and obligations. A Meaux seaman injury lawyer from our firm can make a case for compensation to replace the wages you’ve lost. In unique instances in which injuries impair the ability of a worker to work in the future, an attorney can seek lost future earnings damages to cover the worker.
Medical Bills & Extended Care
Most Americans have insurance, but patients still find themselves paying deductibles even when they step in to cover costs. Healthcare is expensive. While seeking compensation, an attorney can seek financial compensation to cover the incurred treatment costs. If your injuries require more attention, your seaman injury lawyer can seek coverage to ensure you receive ongoing care.
Pain and Suffering
In a seaman injury lawsuit, an attorney can seek damages for their client’s experience. In the proceeding, the evaluators will consider the permanence of the injuries and the endured suffering.
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The Jones Act
The Jones Act offers seamen legal rights and protections when they suffer from offshore injuries. The law provides that the seaman can file a lawsuit for injuries caused by negligent ship owners or employers.
Under the Jones Act, you must work onboard a navigable vessel (an oil rig counts if it has some form of navigation), contribute to the work of the vessel, and spend at least 30 percent of your working time onboard.
You have up to three years from the date of the accident to make your lawsuit official under the Jones Act. However, you must also notify your employer of your accident within just seven days. A Meaux seaman injury lawyer can help ensure that you file on time.
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The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act
The Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA) is a federal law that makes it possible for injured employees to seek compensation. The LHWCA covers maritime workers who don’t fit the description of a Jones Act seaman and wouldn’t qualify for the Jones Act. The LHWCA applies to maritime workers who work on or near navigable waterways and provides ways for you to seek compensation and benefits. Some of the benefits the LHWCA covers include:
Temporary Partial and Temporary Total Disability
These types of disabilities are those that you might recover from after some time to heal. As you await their recovery, however, you might be unable to work temporarily. This compensation would cover a percentage of the weekly wages that you were entitled to.
Permanent Partial and Permanent Total Disability
When you have a permanent disability, you might be unable to work in the same way for the rest of your life. The loss of limbs, eyesight, or spinal injuries often requires total adjustments or retraining. You must literally become used to a whole new way of life. The LHWCA considers the impacts of such accidents on the lives of workers. When the level of total disability is determined – permanent partial disability or permanent total disability – these damages are awarded.
You have up to one year to file your injury claim under the LHWCA. You must also notify your employer of your injury within 30 days. Your Meaux seaman injury lawyer can determine which federal law applies to your case and what the best legal route would be for you.
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Contact Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers Today
Personal injuries can have temporary and long-lasting costs that can affect your quality of life. The Meaux seamen injury lawyers at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers are ready to help you pursue compensation. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
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