To work in the maritime industry means taking risks every day. Most jobs on ships, in harbors, and on offshore platforms involve hazards and risks. Workers in these jobs get injured and sometimes killed, but maritime laws are in place to ensure they get compensation to make up for those injuries and fatalities. Injured workers can get money to cover the cost of medical expenses and lost wages, while dependent survivors are entitled to the money that will help pay for funeral and other costs.
Maritime law is not an easy system of laws to navigate. It requires specialized study, which is why if you have been injured on the job, you need a professional maritime lawyer to help guide you through making claims, filing paperwork, settling arbitration, and even going to court if necessary. The years of studying and experience working on maritime cases means that these professionals can guide you and get you the money you deserve.
Specializing in Maritime Law
If you are injured on the job you might think you need to turn to a personal injury lawyer, a workers’ compensation lawyer, or that any lawyer will be able to help you. The truth is that maritime law is a highly specialized area of law. You cannot rely on just any lawyer, no matter how skilled or experienced, to help you make your case or to represent you. A lawyer who has studied and worked in maritime law has specialized knowledge in this very complicated area of the law.
There are several different laws that comprise maritime law, and being able to figure out which one applies to you and how to use it to your advantage is complex. Only a lawyer experienced in these laws will be able to guide you through the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA), the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA), the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), maintenance and cure, the doctrine of unseaworthiness, and any other law that might apply in your situation.
