Types of Jones Act and Maritime Law Accidents
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Oil Rig Accident Attorney and Maritime Lawyers
Working on an offshore oil rig is a dangerous job. The risks associated with working in these conditions can be tied to the requirement to work 12 hours or more each day, the fact that people working on oil rigs are isolated with combustible materials and inaccessibility to assistance in case of an emergency. It is not uncommon for a person working in such conditions to experience an injury at sea. As an example 11 people died as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig accident on April 20, 2010, and others were injured.
There are safety measures that are used on oil rigs to prevent injury or lessen the severity of any injuries that may occur. For example, people who work on these rigs are able to access a pod that is lowered into the water when it is not safe to be on the rig. These pods are watertight and are able to keep up to 10 people safe while help is on the way.
Unfortunately, there may be emergency situations on an oil rig that do not allow crew members to get to safety before an injury is sustained. Explosions may not be a regular occurrence on oil rigs, but the few explosions that have happened have resulted in severe injuries and deaths at sea. There is no way for crew members to stay 100 percent safe while working on an oil rig.
Emergencies that are deadly for crew members are rare, but people are injured on oil rigs more frequently. Working near heavy equipment can lead to injuries related to falling equipment or malfunctions. Small fires or explosions could lead to burns and illness from smoke inhalation. People who work in these conditions are entitled to compensation under the Jones Act.
Even the most diligent crew members can experience injuries in the workplace. The nature of the work on an oil rig makes it dangerous, and many of the risks associated with working on an oil rig cannot be fully avoided.
An oil rig accident attorney can help seamen who are injured while working in these conditions. Compensation for the costs associated with sustaining an injury at sea may be available, and it is important to remember that the Jones Act covers people who work at sea in a much more comprehensive way than workers’ compensation insurance.
Cases involving a death at sea are a possibility when family members seek compensation after losing a loved one. Someone will have to pay for funeral expenses, and dependents who are left without an income because of a death related to an oil rig accident may be entitled to long-term compensation.
All seamen who receive offshore oil rig injuries should consult with an oil rig accident attorney to review their claim for qualification under the Jones Act. Specialized maritime lawyers possess the knowledge and skill sets necessary to collect the requisite evidence to prove the required negligence to affect recovery. An oil rig platform injury attorney with Burwell Nebout Trial Lawyers will successfully and aggressively navigate your case through the complexities of a Jones Act claim for full compensation.
Barge Injury Lawyer — Barge Accidents
If you are a seaman injured in a barge accident as a result of your employer’s negligence or the unseaworthiness of the vessel, you may be entitled, under the Jones Act, to compensation for past and future lost wages and pain and suffering damages. Under general maritime law, you may also be entitled to compensation for inadequate medical care by the employer pursuant to the principle of maintenance and cure.
Maritime law is complicated. If you have been injured in an accident on a barge, contact a barge injury lawyer with experience in maritime law and more specifically in Jones Act cases for a thorough review of the legal issues surrounding your injury. Many attorneys purport to handle Jones Act cases like workman’s compensation, but only an experienced maritime attorney can successfully navigate a Jones Act case for full recovery.
Deckhand Injury — Jones Act
Deckhands and crewmen injured in an accident on a vessel may be entitled to compensation under the Jones Act and general maritime law. The Jones Act recognizes the dangers posed by maritime work and the high rate of injury among seaman. Even slight negligence by an employer which contributes to a seaman’s injury can support a Jones Act claim.
Workers who have received a deckhand injury in a ship accident should seek the counsel of experienced Jones Act maritime lawyers for a review of all avenues of compensation, which may include three legal avenues: the principle of maintenance and cure, the doctrine of unseaworthiness and the Jones Act.
As with most cases regarding compensation for an injury endured on the job, there is a time limit to file your claim. Do not delay. Contact a maritime attorney with Burwell Nebout to review your claim and begin protecting your right of recovery.
Ship Accident Lawyer — Jones Act
Shipping of any type is still a hazardous and dangerous business, sometimes resulting in fatal ship accidents. Seamen receiving ship accident injuries may qualify under the Jones Act in maritime law for full compensation of damages if resulting from the employer’s negligence.
In addition for injuries caused by negligence, a seaman injured in a shipping accident may also have a claim against the vessel’s owner on the basis that the vessel was not seaworthy and against the employer for failing to provide adequate medical care.
Experienced Jones Act attorneys can aid a seaman with an injury claim, and maximize recovery of maintenance and cure due under maritime law. Whether the injury is a construction or deckhand injury, a proven maritime attorney will aggressively pursue all possible sources of recovery for an injured seaman.
Boat Injury Lawyer — Jones Act Attorneys
Boat accidents involving recreational boats such as jet boats or cigar boats occur frequently on all waterways in our country. If you have been injured in an accident on a recreational boat, you may have a personal injury claim or something more, depending on your physical location at the time of injury or whether you were working on the boat.
If you are a maritime worker who is involved in a boat accident, your claim may qualify under the Jones Act in maritime law for a larger benefit than available under workman’s compensation. The Jones Act was created to protect seaman in hazardous working conditions and compensate them for injuries caused by any negligence by their employer.
Whether you have been injured in a recreational boat accident or as a maritime worker, the law firm of Burwell Nebout has both personal injury attorney and maritime attorneys as needed to review your claim for compensation.
Platform Injury — Oil Rig Accident Lawyer
Oil rig platform accidents can be extremely complicated from a legal standpoint. If a worker is involved in a non-fixed platform accident, usually known as an oil rig accident, the Jones Act may apply under maritime law. However, if the accident occurs on a fixed oil platform, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) and general maritime law will apply.
A specialized oil rig platform injury attorney will review your claim to advise you which law is applicable for your injury. Each law provides different levels of compensation available to a worker, but both laws have a limited window in which to file your claim and begin the legal process for recovery.
Any worker involved in an oil rig platform accident, whether fixed or non-fixed, should seek independent legal advice from an oil rig accident attorney, specializing in not only maritime law, but in oil platform cases. This type of maritime attorney will aggressively navigate your case through the complexities of maritime law for full recovery under the law.
We’re on your side. Contact us at (281) 645-5000 or email our team to schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys.
