Wesley Chapel Maritime Injury Lawyer
Maritime injury cases can be complex, but an experienced maritime injury attorney in Wesley Chapel could assist you in recovering compensation. In this way as well as many others, choosing the right advocate to represent your legal interests following an injury may have a significant impact in your case.
If you suffered a maritime injury recently, a Wesley Chapel maritime injury lawyer may be able to preserve your rights while protecting your interests. Consult a compassionate personal injury attorney that could help you pursue the damages you deserve.
Benefit of Legal Representation
Following a maritime injury, contacting an attorney is often in the injured victim’s best interests. In addition to being familiar with navigating the legal process, a skilled Wesley Chapel maritime injury lawyer could work to protect an individual’s interests by:
- Contacting relevant witnesses
- Reviewing all the existing evidence
- Researching and investigating all the facts related to the accident
- Consulting with other professionals critical to the case, such as relevant medical professionals, engineers, and maritime industry experts
- Providing guidance and explaining all stages of the legal process as they progress
Applicable Laws
The laws that apply in offshore maritime accidents are generally different than those central to other personal injury cases. Maritime injuries often require careful consideration of these laws to determine which are applicable to the particular incident in question and—if they are applicable—how to establish a case within the bounds of that law.
The Jones Act
The Jones Act—or Merchant Marine Act—of 1920 provides various protections for maritime workers. It permits commercial ship crews to pursue claims against their employers for injuries that occurred while they are at sea, so long as the injuries were caused by the negligence of the ship’s owner, the captain, or other crew members.
The Death on the High Seas Act
The Death on the High Seas Act is applicable when a person dies because of neglect or wrongful act at least three nautical miles from the shore of the United States. It permits a personal representative of the deceased to bring a civil action against the person or vessel responsible, provided the action will benefit the deceased’s immediate family.
Additional Protections and Regulations
The Longshore & Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act protects maritime workers on docked vessels who are injured while working in dangerous conditions, regardless of how dangerous their general job duties are.
Among other factors, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) extends the Longshore & Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act to employees that work on the Outer Continental Shelf of the United States developing and exploring natural resources.
Finally, maintenance and cure are the vessel worker equivalent of workers’ compensation. They are benefits that vessel workers receive from their employer while recovering from an injury.
Speaking to a Wesley Chapel Maritime Injury Attorney
It can be easy to become overwhelmed following a maritime accident between medical bills, lack of regular income while recovering, and concern about when or even if you can return to your prior job duties. However, hiring the right Wesley Chapel maritime injury lawyer following an accident could be a key step towards mitigating those worries.
Call today to schedule a consultation, and let an experienced attorney handle your maritime injury case while you focus on recovery.