Maritime Injury Lawyers in Pascagoula, AL

As a maritime worker in Pascagoula, you get the satisfaction of knowing that your work keeps multiple industries running. Whether you work for Signet Maritime Corp, ST Engineering, World Marine or any number of companies as a commercial fisherman, longshoreman, harbor worker, underground welder, or another role, your labor is incredibly important. However, it is also quite dangerous. The maritime industry has a higher-than-average injury rate, and these injuries can leave employees and their families in financial peril.

If you’ve been hurt while working, you could be entitled to compensation. Discuss your case in greater detail with our team of maritime injury attorneys in Pascagoula, MS. Call Fuquay Law Firm at 251-473-4443.

When Do I Need a Maritime Injury Attorney?

If you’ve been injured at work, you may wonder when it’s time to turn to an attorney. There’s a lot of confusion around this area of law, and many injured maritime workers think they need to talk to a workers’ compensation lawyer or a personal injury attorney. However, maritime law is an entirely different field. Maritime workers are not protected under workers’ compensation laws—maritime law provides protection for those who work aboard vessels and in offshore positions.

Any time you suffer an injury at work and plan on pursuing compensation, it’s a good time to talk to a maritime injury attorney in Pascagoula, MS. There are numerous laws that fall under the category of maritime law, as well as general maritime law. They all apply to different jobs and situations and figuring out which one applies to your injury can be confusing. By working with a maritime injury attorney, you can provide the proper documentation and meet the necessary deadlines to get the compensation you deserve.

Common Maritime Injuries and Accidents

Your work in the Gulf of Mexico or nearby Mobile Bay may expose you to a range of dangerous conditions. Common maritime accidents include:

• Falls overboard or falls on deck
• Falls from an elevated height while doing repair work
• Accidents caused by malfunctioning safety gear
• Dock and pier accidents, including those caused by cranes, winches, and electrocution
• Accidents caused by inadequate training of crew members
• Unseaworthy vessels with leaking fuel pipes, hull damage, or other issues that lead to injury
• Poor rescue training that can leave underground welders and repair workers stranded when they need help coming up for air
• Exposure to toxic chemicals
• Exposure to extreme heat or cold
• Boat collisions caused by poor navigation, defective navigational gear, or inclement weather

Some of the injuries commonly reported by maritime employees include:

• Broken bones
• Muscle strains and injuries caused by repetitive motions
• Chemical burns
• Burns caused by fires or explosions
• Concussions
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Amputations
• Blindness
• Loss of hearing
• Drowning

Laws That Protect You

If you’ve never had to deal with a maritime injury before, you may not know what laws protect you and provide you with fair compensation. Get an overview below and determine which laws apply to your job.

• General maritime law. General maritime law is a longstanding tradition based in sea codes used by vessel owners for hundreds of years. Under this law, a boat owner must provide workers with transportation, wages, medical care, and room and board. This comes into play when you are injured, as a vessel owner must provide maintenance and cure. Maintenance covers all of the obligatory expenses you have, such as rent or mortgage, utilities, insurance, and taxes. Cure refers to the medical expenses you accrue as a result of your injury. This is somewhat similar to workers’ compensation, as it does not require you to prove any wrongdoing on the part of the employer or vessel owner.
• Jones Act. The Jones Act provides compensation for seamen. This includes those who are indefinitely connected to a vessel or fleet of vessels, working aboard a vessel at the time of the accident and part of the vessel’s functions. Under the Jones Act, an injured seaman can sue their employer if they are injured due to an unseaworthy vessel or negligent behavior. Covered expenses include lost income, loss of earning capacity, medical expenses, disability compensation, and pain and suffering.
• Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. If you are not covered under the Jones Act, it’s likely that your role is covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. Harbor workers, longshoremen, shipbuilders, ship repairmen, and others who do not work on navigable water can seek compensation under this act.
• Death on the High Seas Act. Surviving family members of a seaman who died while working on a vessel may be entitled to compensation under the Death On the High Seas Act. DOHSA serves the families of seamen who died while at least three nautical miles off the coast of the United States. Family members may seek compensation for funeral expenses, counseling expenses, loss of the seaman’s financial support, and other expenses related to the death. People who can seek remedy under DOHSA include the decedent’s spouse, parents, children, and other dependent family members. Compensation is only available if the decedent died because of negligence on the part of the vessel’s owner.

How the Team at Fuquay Law Firm Can Help

The team at Fuquay Law Firm can help you seek compensation from a vessel owner who’s determined to hide your injury and avoid paying out a claim. Our extensive knowledge of maritime law and experience with vessel owners makes us a valuable asset for maritime workers in and around Pascagoula, MS. Set up a time to talk about your accident in greater detail and we’ll start the ball rolling on your injury claim.

Pascagoula has a thriving maritime industry. There are maritime security companies such as Security Services; ship docking and tugging companies like Signet; and ship buiders like Ingalls. No matter what you do, if you’ve been injured, our law firm can help.

Contact Our Team Now

We’re here to help whenever you are ready to begin your maritime injury claim. The sooner you get in touch with Fuquay Law Firm, the sooner we can start advocating for you. Don’t let a maritime injury threaten your family’s safety and financial security—trust Fuquay Law Firm with your claim. Call us at 251-219-0329 or contact us online to get started.