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Maritime accidents may leave workers unable to return to their occupations. In the worst-case scenarios, maritime workers may lose their lives. However, maritime laws provide injured workers and their family members a way to recover compensation for their damages. Our Houston maritime accident lawyers can explain your legal rights during a free consultation.
Stevenson & Murray is a Houston personal injury law firm with extensive experience handling maritime accident cases. You can learn more about our successful cases on our website. Read below for more information on the types of maritime cases we take.
Injured on the water? Then you may have options to recover compensation under the Jones Act, a federal maritime law. The Jones Act grants specific legal rights to maritime workers injured by negligence.
Workers have the following rights under the Jones Act:
Depending on the circumstances, Jones Act lawsuits can help pay for past and future wages, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. Additionally, you may be able to obtain vocational and occupational rehabilitation.
Questions about compensation under the Jones Act? Then contact us for a free consultation. We can explain your legal rights after a maritime injury.
The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act is another federal law that helps injured maritime workers. Workers may be able to obtain workers’ compensation benefits if they may have a case under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. Furthermore, workers’ compensation benefits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act are generally more favorable than benefits provided under state laws.
To help determine eligibility, maritime workers take the Status Test and Situs Test. These tests help determine the job duties of the injured worker and where the injury took place. The injury must have occurred while the worker was conducting maritime job duties in a maritime work environment.
We can help you determine if you qualify for benefits under this act. Contact our Houston maritime accident lawyers for a free consultation.
Maritime work may sometimes involve being in close proximity to harmful substances. This is especially true for offshore rig workers. Exposure to gas, industrial solvents and diesel fumes and other carcinogens can significantly increase the risk of cancer or other debilitating health issues. Common cancers from exposure are leukemia and lung cancer.
Employers must be careful to ensure they provide workers with the proper training and safety equipment. If they fail to do so, then it could mean an employer is liable to pay damages for injuries and deaths.
The maritime injury lawyers at Stevenson & Murray can help if an employer’s negligence exposed you or a loved one to harmful substances. During a free consultation, we can explain whether you have legal rights to pursue compensation.
Maritime work environments may expose workers to flammable chemicals, heights, industrial machinery and heavy objects. Consequently, maritime workers are at higher risk of suffering catastrophic injuries when employers cut corners on safety. Burn injuries, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and loss of limbs are examples of catastrophic injuries that may occur in a maritime environment.
Injured maritime workers or their family members may then be able to file lawsuits against negligent employers or third-parties. A successful settlement or jury verdict can then help pay for expenses caused by catastrophic injuries, including:
Contact Stevenson & Murray to learn more about legal options after suffering a catastrophic injury at sea.
Federal law requires vessel owners to perform regular maintenance. Furthermore, vessels, such as ships, tugs, dredges and barges must be seaworthy. Did an employer allow a hazard to persist on a vessel? Did the employer then fail to take reasonable steps to prevent the hazard? If so, then injured workers may be eligible to file seaworthiness claims in these cases.
Questions about filing a seaworthiness claim under the Jones Act? Then contact us to schedule a free consultation.
Divers have one of the most dangerous maritime jobs. For this reason, it is crucial that employers take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of their divers. Negligent dive managers, crew members or vessel owners may then cause serious harm to divers. Examples of diving injuries caused by negligence include:
Contact us if you have questions about filing a Jones Act claim after a diving injury. Our Houston maritime attorneys can help you review potential legal options.
Injured while working on a harbor or dock? Then it may be possible to recover compensation through the Jones Act. Workers may be eligible for compensation under this law if they can demonstrate they were working within the scope of their employment at the time of their accident. Contact us to learn more about filing a claim for a maritime injury that occurred on shore.
Wrongful death occurs when a worker loses his or her life due to another person’s negligence or recklessness. Some maritime accidents result in death. This means surviving family members may then be able to file a claim against the party responsible for their loss. Compensation from a wrongful death claim can help with funeral expenses, loss of income as well as pain and suffering.
Stevenson & Murray is a Houston personal injury law firm that represents maritime accident victims and injured seamen working on the East Coast of the United States, the Gulf of Mexico and in oil fields and ports in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Mexico, Azerbaijan and Singapore. Many of our clients work in the petrochemical industry. However, we also have experience with maritime accident cases involving dredging work and international shipping. Additionally, we represent commercial fishermen.
We invite you to call our office or contact us for more information. To schedule a free consultation with a leading U.S. maritime accident law firm, dial (713) 597-3836 or use the contact form on our site.
