Terrebonne Parish Maritime Lawyer

Terrebonne Parish Maritime Attorney

Employees in the maritime industry have a much higher risk of injury than most other employees. Hazards on rigs, boats, and vessels can cause catastrophic and fatal injuries. Because of this, maritime workers have more significant employee protections, including their ability to recover compensation. Unfortunately, these claims and the laws governing them can be especially complex. A Terrebonne Parish maritime lawyer can help protect your rights.

Advanced safety regulations can limit the hazards in maritime employment, making accidents less common. Unfortunately, many employers cut costs and ignore regulations. This makes worksites more dangerous due to their negligence. When employers are careless with the safety and lives of their employees, they should be held liable. Certain maritime employees can hold their employers liable in civil court for these failures.

Hammond Law Firm, LLC: Dedicated and Experienced Maritime Attorneys

Employers have a responsibility to maintain a standard of care for their employees by maintaining the safety and health standards of a vessel. At Hammond Law Firm, LLC, we have decades of experience navigating claims and investigations into negligent employers. When you are injured on the job, we bring you dedicated and reliable legal support, helping you hold your employer liable for the harm they caused.

Maritime accidents can cause serious harm, including traumatic brain injuries, internal organ damage, crushing injuries, and amputations. These disabling injuries can change your entire life. You may be unable to work and have significant medical costs. You may be able to recover these losses. Hammond Law Firm, LLC, wants to help you review your options for financial recovery under maritime law and secure the most compensation possible.

Our firm has a significant understanding of state and federal maritime laws and more than 40 years of collective legal experience. We can determine how these laws can impact you and your employment. Our team can calculate the total losses you have suffered and fight for full and fair compensation.

The Maritime Industry in Louisiana

An estimated one in five jobs in Louisiana are connected to the maritime industry. Louisiana waterborne cargo transfer accounts for 20% of the nationwide output, and the state ranks above all others in the amount of waterborne commerce. Maritime employment includes captains, pilots, mates, ship engineers, marine oilers, ship loaders, crane and tower operators, and these jobs are largely concentrated in the Houma-Thibodaux area.

This industry is essential to the financial well-being of the parish and state. Employees whose work maintains and upholds this industry must be able to financially recover when they are injured, especially when it results from employer carelessness.

Understanding the Protections for Maritime Workers

Maritime or admiralty law has evolved to provide improved protection for maritime employees, particularly those injured while working. Maritime law includes:

• The General Maritime Law
• The Jones Act
• The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act
• The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
• The Death on the High Seas Act

These laws outline employer-employee relationships and give maritime workers unique workers’ compensation rights. Injured maritime workers who meet certain qualifications can file a claim against their employer for negligence that led to their injury. Filing a civil claim provides additional compensation not available in a workers’ compensation claim. Most employees who are injured in the workplace are restricted to recover workers’ compensation.

It can be difficult for maritime employees to determine what federal protections they qualify for when they are injured. Working with a dedicated maritime injury attorney can help determine the benefits you can recover when you are injured and protect your interests against wrongfully denied claims. The right legal representation protects your needs and holds your employer accountable for their negligence.

What Are Common Maritime Accident Injury Claims?

Employment in harbors, on offshore rigs, and on other vessels has numerous hazards. There are strict safety regulations on these worksites intended to limit the risks posed by equipment, chemicals, and other hazards. When safety regulations are ignored and corners are cut, the risks of injury or death increase. Some common causes of maritime accidents and injuries include:

• Repeated motions, especially with equipment that is improperly maintained
• Slip-and-fall accidents from boarding vessels, unsafe platforms and stairways, and other hazards
• Vessel collisions
• Accidents due to improperly trained crew
• Improperly secured objects falling
• Improperly secured machinery and equipment leading to crushing or stuck-between injuries
• Caught in accidents or contact with machinery
• Equipment malfunctions
• Improperly maintained tools and machinery
• Improper storage of dangerous substances and chemicals leading to toxic exposure
• Electrical hazards and fires
• Other fire hazards and explosions

There are many other potential hazards on maritime worksites, many of which are preventable with proper care by employers.

What Can a Maritime Lawyer Do for Me?

A maritime lawyer can support you in every aspect of your workers’ compensation or civil claim and improve your chances of getting the most compensation possible. Navigating a claim as you deal with the painful aftermath of a maritime accident can be difficult. Having an attorney by your side limits the stress and frustration of this process, as they can handle the claims process for you.

Catastrophic injuries can lead to lifelong complications, and many injured workers do not realize the long-term costs an injury has on their lives. Maritime employees can recover much more significant damages through civil claims. An attorney is crucial in ensuring you recover most of these damages and fairly maximizing the financial recovery you obtain.

Your attorney can also ensure you meet the necessary filing deadlines. If you fail to file on time, you may be unable to pursue compensation. An attorney’s legal knowledge improves the chances of a successful claim and ensures you file on time.

Defending Your Financial Rights and Future as a Maritime Employee

Maritime employees can recover workers’ compensation benefits for partial wages and medical costs as well as additional damages like full wages in civil cases. If you are hurt while working due to your employer’s or the vessel owner’s negligence, you have options to recover compensation. Contact Hammond Law Firm, LLC, today, for knowledgeable and practiced attorneys who can fight for you.