After being injured in a maritime accident, what can a lawyer do for you?

Maritime accidents are accidents that occur aboard a maritime ship due to bad weather, rocky waters, and other hazardous situations, maritime mishaps are typically considered catastrophes aboard ships. However, the naval sector includes many jobs and work locations, such as ports and offshore maritime infrastructure.

The body of rules known as maritime law regulates all commercial naval activities, including shipping and ocean transit. Let’s say you engage in any type of marine activity, own or manage a vessel, or run a business that is involved in the maritime sector. If so, you’ll be curious to learn “who a marine attorney is.”

Common maritime accidents

One of the most frequent incidents on ship decks is slipping and falling. Slips are likely to occur during an activity on deck, although they can happen at any time. Working at heights, such as on masts, lashing bridges, hatch covers, cargo holds, or working lofts or outboards, increases the risk of falling.

Consultation with knowledgeable maritime Accident Lawyers would be a necessary first step if you were hurt while working at sea. A maritime accident lawyer, an expert in this specific field, can assist you in determining whether or not negligence contributed to your injury and the amount of compensation you may be entitled to under several Admiralty Law categories. A knowledgeable, experienced team of attorneys at Carabin Shaw will fight for you to safeguard your interests if you are hurt while working on a nautical vessel or carrying out other maritime tasks.

Working at sea is hazardous by nature. Both “ships and workers” need to be seaworthy to create a secure working environment. When a maritime catastrophe occurs, the vessel is frequently isolated from rescue. Receiving outside help may take longer when a crew member is injured in an explosion or when the ship capsizes due to bad weather. A ship losing power and “floundering” in choppy waters increases the risk of collisions with other vessels, stationary objects, and even land.

Common causes of maritime accidents

Numerous factors can result in maritime accidents. Many of them are unavoidable, such as intense or severe weather. Other mishaps are partially, or even totally, the result of neglect.

Numerous factors can result in maritime accidents. Many of them are unavoidable, such as intense or severe weather. Other mishaps are partially, or even totally, the result of neglect.

The majority of maritime mishaps are directly attributable to human error. Sea conditions might be very difficult.

This calls for crew personnel to be well-trained and aware of potentially hazardous situations. This can prevent a lot of accidents from occurring. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things that can go wrong at sea that can cause accidents with terrible results.

Here are some causes of human that have led to maritime accidents:

  • Long hours of sleep deprivation cause fatigue
  • Inadequate training and lack of experience
  • Longer trips and periods at sea
  • Personal interactions on board the ship
  • Reckless behaviour, such as abusing alcohol and drugs
  • Stupid choices and/or negligence
  • Job-related pressure and stress

Workers in the maritime and offshore industries face significant risks. The specific risks encountered greatly depend on the type of work their vessel performs. A worker on an offshore oil platform faces distinct dangers from a fisherman who spends a lot of time at sea. Working at sea is risky. That much is true.

Common maritime accident examples include:

  • Explosions
  • Fires
  • The harm caused by shifting poorly secured luggage
  • Falls and Slips
  • Incorrectly or inaccurately stored equipment
  • Failures with steering and navigation
  • Running Aground Collisions with stationary objects or other vessels.

Maritime accidents and the United States Coast Guard

The U.S. Coast Guard follows Federal law and regulation while creating and disseminating reports of investigations. These reports make recommendations based on the findings of fact, analytical findings, conclusions, and findings of the Coast Guard’s inquiry into marine, outer continental shelf (OCS), and commercial diving accidents. Here are narrative versions of several investigation reports made available to the public.

On its Maritime Information Exchange (CGMIX) website, the Coast Guard also provides access to Incident Investigation Report versions of these and other investigations into marine casualties that must be reported to the Coast Guard in accordance with Title 46, Code of Federal Regulations, Subpart 4.05.

The Coast Guard also regularly compiles reports of their analysis and study of data related to maritime safety, including accident and casualty data.

The role of a lawyer after getting involved in a maritime accident

The purpose of maritime law is to protect persons who are in or near navigable waters. These regulations offer standards for issuing permits and certifications for seagoing vessels, crew, and passengers by each nation’s government. They also describe the numerous steps to take when someone is hurt or dies on a ship due to a navigation-related incident.

You need an expert maritime lawyer on your legal team if you are involved in naval matters, such as ship accidents or injuries sustained at sea. You need a qualified maritime and marine accident lawyer to safeguard your interests fully following a severe accident or injury.

 

Maritime attorneys have a strong negotiating position since they know all the regulations pertaining to employees and employers. Consider this: Would you have hired your previous  attorney if they lacked relevant experience?

Would you choose a tax lawyer to handle your automobile accident case or an injury lawyer to create your will? Given that this is a particular area of law that rarely intersects with other types of injury lawsuits, the question has even more weight for those who have sustained injuries at or near the sea. Few lawyers have a thorough understanding of maritime law as a result.

Your options and potential compensation will be explained by a maritime injury lawyer based on:

Your status as an employee

The potential party responsible for paying your injury compensation depends on your employment situation. The Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA) and the Jones Act are federal workers’ compensation programs. Furthermore, the New York workers’ compensation statutes may apply to your claim. Finding every type of eligible compensation can have a big impact on the value of your claim.

The Nature and Severity of Your Injuries

Maritime workers frequently suffer catastrophic injuries that might completely alter their future potential. A maritime attorney can determine the full extent of your damages, including your diminished ability to work and the hardship you have experienced.

Negligence And Unseaworthiness.

Federal regulations permit employees to sue marine employers for carelessness and harmful conditions that result in injuries, in addition to giving compensation for medical expenses and lost wages.

Causation And Liability laws

Many statutes that may impact the value of a claim are involved in maritime proceedings, often brought at the federal level. For instance, the Limitation of Liability Act permits an employer to severely restrict the amount owed to victims following a disaster. On the other hand, Maritime law has its own rules for demonstrating blame for an injury.

Conclusion

From the above discussion, we conclude that along with other major maritime accidents, slips and falls are the most common maritime accident, which mostly causes severe and previous injuries to workers and employees on board. Most of the time it has been observed that employees and workers don’t know their rights of compensation in case they get injured in a maritime accident, and consultation with maritime lawyers and attorneys can play a vital role in securing the rights of the victims.