Florida Maritime Accident Lawyer

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Florida Maritime Accident Lawyer

Florida Maritime Accident Attorney

Our Houston Lawyers Will Litigate Maritime Accidents Worldwide

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Are you a sailor, longshoreman, offshore worker or drilling platform employee? If so, then you understand the risks associated with your line of work. You realize accidents are common. Thus, you do your best to avoid hazardous situations. Unfortunately, you can’t protect yourself from every potential danger, and serious maritime accidents can occur.

At the Houston law firm of Stevenson & Murray, we represent maritime accident victims throughout the United States. This includes both the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of Florida. By focusing the majority of our practice on maritime and admiralty law, we developed a comprehensive understanding of the issues that are unique to these types of cases.

Were you or a loved one injured in a maritime accident? If so, then do not hesitate to contact us. We are fully prepared to help you seek maximum compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and more. We offer a free initial consultation with a leading maritime and admiralty law attorney. Se habla español.

Legal Help for Victims of Florida Maritime Accidents

The majority of the maritime accident/Jones Act cases we handle involve injured seamen, longshoremen, and employees of major multinational corporations, commercial transportation conglomerates and petrochemical companies. However, the waters surrounding the state of Florida often present additional, potential maritime accident plaintiffs.

Florida is home to several ports of call for various cruise lines. Although cruise lines are careful to prevent injury, unsuspecting passengers may still fall victim to a maritime injury while attempting to enjoy their vacation. You must file many of these accident claims in Florida.

Backed by years of nationwide maritime accident experience, we can assist you with your claim, regardless of where your injury occurred or where you live. Rest assured our firm is fully prepared to help you build a strong case designed to secure maximum financial recovery.

Common Types of Maritime Accident Claims in Florida

Maritime employment may be very lucrative, but it is also inherently dangerous in many ways. When emergencies arise at sea, it can take a long time before victims receive medical care from land. Additionally, these cases often entail very complex questions of liability, most of which injured victims cannot resolve on their own. A few of the most commonly reported maritime accident injuries that can generate complicated legal proceedings include:

  • Oil and gas platform injuries. The offshore drilling industry is one of the most dangerous for anyone to work in, and injuries in this field can not only be catastrophic in nature but also raise very complex questions of liability. Explosions, falls, and sickness from exposure are just a few examples of commonly reported offshore drilling injuries.
  • Toxic exposure. Many people working in maritime operations must perform work-related duties with or near toxic chemicals. It’s possible for injuries and illness to occur acutely from specific accidents involving these substances; it is also possible for serious medical conditions to develop over time.
  • Longshore injuries. If you work as a longshoreman in Florida, any workplace injury you experience will technically qualify as a maritime work injury, even if it happened on land. Longshoremen face many unique risks in their work, and navigating the legal proceedings that may follow this type of work injury can be incredibly difficult without seasoned legal counsel advising you.
  • Diving injuries. Diving is inherently dangerous in many ways, and a diving accident has the potential to result in drowning along with a host of additional medical complications, some of which can be very debilitating or even life-threatening. Accidents can happen due to failure to monitor divers’ oxygen levels while submerged, failure to track personal protective equipment, and various other forms of negligence.

It’s important to remember that if you live in the state but work for any maritime employer, an injury at work will not fall within the purview of Florida’s workers’ compensation system. Instead, your case will likely pertain to one of several possible maritime laws enforced at the federal level. Due to the unique nature of maritime work, these laws aim to provide specific legal protection to workers in some of the most dangerous industry sectors. A few examples of the types of maritime accident cases our firm accepts include:

  • Jones Act claims. The Jones Act specifically applies to workplace injuries in maritime operations. Since these injuries typically happen on international waters, Florida state workers’ compensation laws do not apply. Victims of maritime accidents that occur while they are working will most likely need to file their claims for compensation under the terms of the Jones Act.
  • Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) claims. The LHWCA exists specifically to provide legal protection to those working in longshoring operations throughout the United States. While this work technically occurs on land in most cases, workplace injuries among longshoremen must be resolved through the LHWCA.
  • Seaworthiness claims. If your maritime injury occurred because of a problem with the vessel you were aboard, the owner of the vessel might be liable for your damages. An experienced Florida maritime accident attorney can help their client file a comprehensive seaworthiness claim.

These are just a few examples of the types of maritime accident claims our firm can handle. We take time to develop individualized legal strategies for every client we represent, often helping them reach much better results than they initially expected. Our firm has years of experience in both maritime law and standard workers’ compensation claims on behalf of our clients.

What to Expect in a Jones Act Claim

If you must file your maritime accident claim under the Jones Act, you should have an idea of what your case will entail, the compensation that you could secure if you win your case, and the value an experienced attorney can provide. Under the Jones Act, an injured maritime worker has the right to seek “maintenance and cure” in response to a workplace injury. This means they have the right to hold their employer accountable for the cost of the medical care they require, including ongoing medical expenses incurred for treating severe injuries. They will also have the right to seek compensation for lost income and lost earning potential.

Pain and suffering are also claimable losses under the Jones Act. Whether your claim pertains to the seaworthiness of your work vessel, workplace safety regulations, or an act of intentional misconduct, you can seek accountability for the physical pain and psychological distress you suffered in your maritime accident. There is no limit to the amount of compensation you have the right to claim from the defendant who injured you.

Unfortunately, many maritime accident cases involve substantial short- and long-term damage, and the average person is likely to feel lost when it comes to navigating the aftermath of their accident. With the right legal counsel on their side, they have a much better chance of not only streamlining their case proceedings and reaching positive results as quickly as possible but also of maximizing the compensation they obtain.

Filing a Personal Injury Claim

Stevenson & Murray specializes in handling complex maritime accident cases, but our firm is also highly experienced with standard personal injury claims on behalf of our clients. State law is relatively flexible in terms of the damages a plaintiff can seek from a defendant. Once the plaintiff in a personal injury claim has proven how their accident happened and identified the party or parties responsible for causing it, they can expect full repayment of their economic losses along with pain and suffering compensation.

Most personal injury claims revolve around acts of negligence, but it is also possible for a personal injury to occur through an act of intentional misconduct. Regardless of how your personal injury occurred, you need legal counsel you can trust to guide you through your civil claim proceedings to the best outcome.

Finding Legal Representation You Can Trust

Whenever you must take any form of legal action in response to a workplace injury, especially a maritime accident, it is vital to find an attorney who has solid professional experience handling cases like yours. Stevenson & Murray has built a strong reputation as a leading choice for injured maritime workers in Florida and throughout the southern United States. Our team knows how to identify a client’s best avenues of compensation, how to navigate through the complex maritime laws that govern their cases, and how to help them recover as fully as those laws allow.

Time is a critical factor in any injury case, but especially so for maritime accident injury claims. If you are unsure how to proceed with your recovery efforts after any type of maritime accident, it is crucial to find an experienced Florida maritime accident attorney as soon as possible who can immediately begin working on your case.

FAQs About Florida Maritime Laws

What Do You Do After a Maritime Accident?

Navigating the legal proceedings you face after a maritime accident can be incredibly challenging, and many people who experience these incidents initially feel lost when it comes to what they should do first to ensure appropriate recovery. Address your immediate medical needs, and once your condition is stable, take time to reach out to a Florida maritime accident attorney as soon as possible.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Florida Maritime Accident Attorney?

It’s understandable to have concerns about the cost of legal counsel when you are struggling in the aftermath of a maritime accident. Many people believe legal representation to be too expensive, likely to cost more than they could win from their cases. The attorneys at Stevenson & Murray use a contingency fee system that ensures our client pays no upfront or ongoing legal fees for our firm’s representation, and our client will only part with a percentage of their final case award as our fee.

How Much Is My Maritime Accident Claim Worth?

The maritime laws that are likely to come into play in your case are complex, but many people facing maritime accident claims are surprised to discover that they are able to recover far more compensation than they initially expected. When you have a seasoned Florida maritime accident attorney representing you, they can streamline your case proceedings significantly and maximize the compensation you obtain.

How Do I Prove Liability for a Maritime Accident?

The exact process of proving liability for any maritime accident varies from case to case. Many factors come into play, such as physical evidence, witness testimony, and complex details that only expert witnesses can clarify. When you choose Stevenson & Murray to represent you in a maritime accident case, our team will compile an individualized legal strategy, streamline your case proceedings as much as possible, and help you understand the specific legal mechanisms in play.

How Long Will My Case Take to Complete?

Any maritime accident claim can involve various complex factors, some of which will increase the time required to resolve the matter. The clearness of fault, the scope of the plaintiff’s damages, and the defendant’s willingness to compromise in settlement negotiations all influence the case’s potential timetable.

Contact Stevenson & Murray

The attorneys at Stevenson & Murray have years of professional experience handling a wide range of maritime accident claims, and we understand the challenges you are likely to face after experiencing this type of incident. Maritime law is very different from Florida civil law, but no matter what your maritime accident injury case involves, you will have reliable legal counsel ready to advise you through every step of your proceedings when you choose our firm to represent you. If you need real answers and real help after a serious maritime accident in the Florida area, then call us at (713) 622-3223. You may also contact us by email. We offer a free initial consultation.

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