Have you or a loved one been injured in an offshore accident? Offshore jobs, such as those on oil rigs, natural gas platforms, and other locations can be very dangerous, and the risk of injury can be quite high. If and when you’re injured, you should seek the counsel of a maritime injury lawyer and get the compensation you deserve.
Not exactly sure what maritime law covers or when you should hire a maritime injury lawyer? In this article, I’ll explain the maritime law and when and how you should go about hiring an injury lawyer for an offshore accident.
What is Maritime Law?
Maritime Laws, also known as admiralty laws, are laws set in place to protect maritime workers in the event of injury or death. They were created to hold guilty parties responsible for any injuries or deaths that occur due to employer negligence or things of that nature. For the purpose of this article, I’ll cover the three that relate most to maritime injuries: Jones Act claims, Longshore Claims, and Death on High Seas Act.
Jones Act
The Jones Act protects workers if an injury happens on the job due to employer negligence. With this act, negligence can mean poor training, unsafe work areas, lack of safety gear, and overexertion. It’s estimated that 70% of all maritime accidents happen because of negligence.
Longshore Claims
Longshore Claims protects maritime workers whose work is based on land, but still related to offshore work, unlike the Jones Act which protects off-shore seamen. In essence, it was designed to protect the maritime workers not covered by the Jones Act.
Death on High Seas Act
The Death on High Seas Act protects loved ones if a maritime worker dies while working at sea due to something like employer negligence. In it, dependents and spouses are eligible for compensation and damages as long as the accident happened at least 3 miles offshore and was a result of negligence.
What Counts as a Maritime Injury?
Since the maritime industry is a high-risk one, maritime accidents and injuries are unfortunately quite common. However, just because they’re common doesn’t mean they can’t be helped or prevented. Employers are obligated to provide their workers with a safe work environment, and if they fail to do so, they are liable for any injuries or accidents that occur.
You may be entitled to compensation and benefits if you’ve experienced any of the following injuries:
- Slips
- Falls
- Collisions
- Pollution
- Falling objects
- Chemical burns
- Inhalation
- Fishing & diving accidents
Have you experienced any of these injuries, but not sure whether it was due to employer negligence? It may have been employer negligence if the injury occurred due to one of the following things:
- Damaged or defective equipment
- Wetwork surfaces
- Electrical and power generation issue
- Lack of safety gear or equipment
- Lack of required safety training
- No ventilation
- Coiled cables
If your injury was because of any of these things, you may be entitled to compensation. By knowing what kinds of injuries are covered, and knowing why the injury occurred, you can determine when to hire a maritime injury lawyer.
What You Need to Know About a Maritime Injury Lawyer
Maritime laws are different from land laws, so it’s important to hire a maritime injury lawyer who understands these kinds of laws. If you do, they can fight on your behalf and help you win any compensation you’re entitled to. It’s important to know that they can help a variety of people involved in offshore accidents like merchant seamen, cargo ship workers, and family members of those injured and killed.
Final Thoughts
Just because your job environment may be riskier than others, does not mean you deserve to be injured or harmed on the job. Maritime laws exist to protect you, so it’s imperative you do some research so you knew how and when you to protect yourself should an injury ever occur.
Have you recently been injured in an offshore accident? If so, connect with an attorney for a free consultation who can help you with your case!