Seamen's Personal Injuries
Anyone who has ever worked aboard a vessel knows that the marine environment is hazardous. Marine employment requires training, skill, and care. However, even the most careful and experienced seaman cannot always guard against equipment failure or the negligence of others.If you are a member of a crew of a vessel, whether that vessel is a cargo ship, a ferry, a casino boat, a long-liner, a tug, a jack-up rig, a drilling ship, or any other means of carrying persons or freight across water, you could be a seaman who is entitled to the benefits that Congress and the General Maritime Law provide.
Seamen are not covered by any type of Workers Compensation statutes like those that exist for land-based workers. To compensate seamen and their families for a seaman's personal injuries or death, the Courts and Congress have developed a patchwork of remedies available to seamen who become sick or injured during their employment aboard vessels. Maintenance and Cure, the Jones Act, and the Unseaworthiness doctrine are laws and legal concepts that require specialized knowledge of maritime law.
Seamen can also obtain the protection of maritime law for illnesses developed after their employment for exposure to asbestos or hazardous chemicals.
A seaman is also entitled to damages for the unseaworthiness of a vessel, maintenance and cure, and Jones Act damages. These remedies are only applicable to seamen and do not apply to land-based workers. Most attorneys are not experienced with these laws designed to protect seamen. Our attorneys are fully qualified to help the seaman navigate his way through the patchwork of remedies to insure that the seaman receives proper medical attention and is fully compensated for his injuries. Maritime Legal Resources was founded by Capt. T. Keith Marshall, III, (1957-2003), who sailed at sea for twenty years and held an Unlimited Tonnage Master Mariners License. Our attorneys continue to adhere to the founding principles - a firm founded by seamen, for seamen. We fully understand the unique hazards that a seaman encounters on a daily basis.
Boats and Jet Ski Accidents:
Recreational boating has become so widespread it is inevitable that there will be accidents on, between and around recreational craft of every description. Accidents can range from a boater slipping on a suntan lotion covered deck of a sailboat to a collision between a boat and a jet ski. These accidents can result in personal injuries and boat damage.
The attorney representing you in an accident on the water needs to know more than how to steer a boat. Knowledge of the Nautical Rules of the Road is essential. Knowledge of admiralty and maritime law and how to apply the facts of your case to the law is absolutely crucial. The members of Maritime Legal Resources are experienced mariners and furthermore, qualified maritime attorneys. If you have an accident on the water, you need the team at Maritime Legal Resources.
Asbestos
Asbestos is a substance that occurs naturally in several countries, but the principal commercial source was South Africa. Asbestos has very good insulating properties and was used for decades as insulating material for steam pipes. Unfortunately, asbestos can cause illness and death. Workers in ships and shipyards during the 1950's, 60's, and 70's were routinely exposed to asbestos. Many of them have already become ill or died. Once the dangers of asbestos became known, manufacturers quit using it on new construction. However, the ships that pre-dated this knowledge are still afloat, and workers can be exposed even today to this injurious substance.If you have worked aboard ships, you may have a claim against the vessel and/or your employer, whether you worked at sea or in a shipyard or location where asbestos exposure occurred. Further, many individuals signed up to participate in class actions, but never received adequate compensation. If you fall into any of these categories, you should contact Maritime Legal Resources so that we can advise you on how to recover from the responsible party.
