There is a specialty area of law dedicated to addressing the needs of those injured while at sea. A maritime injury attorney is well-versed in matters of law that would concern such individuals, such as employees of major cruise lines or shipping companies.

These employees may be physically injured in a minor or major way in the course of their work aboard ship. If they pass away, their surviving family may need the efforts of a maritime injury attorney to secure monies for funeral costs and survival benefits.

Physical injuries aren’t the only matter that might be covered under maritime or admiralty law—the specialty in which a maritime injury attorney would have intricate knowledge.

Other employer-employee relations issues could also be addressed, such as sexual harassment. In a sequestered environment such as a ship at sea, work problems such as these can be amplified because the victim cannot get away from day-to-day interactions with the alleged perpetrator.

Jones Act

A maritime injury attorney has knowledge of the Jones Act which was passed by the U.S. Congress in the early part of the 20^th century.

Failure to provide a safe working environment for employees is especially critical when medical help might be more difficult to access. The Jones Act, also known as the Merchant Marine Act,  provides a certain amount of legal protection for those that work at sea by giving them or their families the ability to sue for damages in the event of psychological or physical injury, or death.

The Jones Act is applicable by a maritime injury attorney when his client works upon a seagoing vessel or group of commonly-owned vessels for more than 30 percent of their annual work time. This qualifies the client to be considered a ‘seaman’ under the definition of this law.

The Jones Act does not cover passengers on board these vessels; it does, however, cover every type of employee from lower level crew to associated officers and captains.

The Jones Act addresses a number of potential injuries ranging from minor to major including food poisoning, concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBI), contusions, broken bones, dismemberment, and death by slipping, falling objects, high sea turbulence, vessel collision and capsizing.

A Maritime Injury Attorney’s Knowledge

If you can prove negligence with the assistance of a maritime injury attorney, it might be easier to recover compensation. A maritime legal specialist has information regarding other laws which might be applicable in addition to the Jones Act, such as the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act and Death on the High Seas Act.

The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act addresses the needs of those injured while repairing, loading and unloading, or even constructing vessels harbored in waterways. Injury definition may include being diagnosed with a disease such as mesothelioma which has been commonly associated with shipyard construction sites and exposure to asbestos.

The Death on the High Seas Act—also passed in the early part of the 20^th century—gives legal recourse for surviving family to seek compensation when a loved one meeting the definition of ‘seaman’ dies in international waters due to vessel compromise or employer negligence of some type. It is a wrongful death law which a skilled and knowledgeable maritime injury attorney would know how to apply to the benefit of his or her clients.