New Orleans Maritime Injury Attorneys

Most Common Types of Maritime Accidents

A career in the maritime industry can be very rewarding, however it is extremely dangerous. These accidents can be avoided with the right training and safety precautions. It is important to understand the types of injuries that can happen on the job. A maritime lawyer can represent you in order to get compensation for the damages you suffered on the job.

The most common types of maritime accidents are as follows:

• Slip and Fall Accidents
• Injuries in Enclosed Spaces
• Chemical Burns
• Repetitive Motion Injuries
• Fishing Injuries
• Docks and Piers
• Broken Bones and Extremities Injury
• Negligence and Maritime Accidents

It’s Important To Get A Trusted Maritime Lawyer for Your Offshore Injury

Complex maritime regulations often come into play when dealing with an offshore accident.

Unlike a typical onshore workers’ compensation claim, offshore and maritime personal injury claims may implicate federal statutes and regulations, such as the Jones Act. Passed in 1920, the Jones Act protects maritime workers who are injured on the job. Although there are similar features to workers’ compensation statutes, the Jones Act provides a legal remedy specifically to seafaring captains and crews. Among other things, the Jones Act outlines the types of compensation that may be offered to qualified maritime workers who sustained injuries in the course of performing work-related duties.

To be covered under the Jones Act, injured seafarers and crewmembers seeking benefits must qualify for seaman status, which, typically, is determined by a review of the following criteria:

• The victim must be assigned to a seagoing vessel or group of vessels under the same ownership that actively operates on navigable waterways.
• The victim must hold a relatively permanent connection with the ship or fleet.
• The victim’s injuries must be connected to a line of duty that contributes to the vessel’s operation.

When a qualified seaman, pilot, or crewmember is injured during an offshore accident, the following Jones Act compensation provisions may be implicated:

• The “Transportation and Wages” provision entitles injured seamen to a safe passage to port, and payment of any wages or tips that they were unable to earn because of injuries suffered while underway.
• “Maintenance and Cure” entitles injured seamen to a living expense wage, similar to that of workers’ compensation, as well as coverage for medical treatment until they have fully recuperated from their injuries.