Injured on a Port, Dock or Terminal? You Need to Speak with a Texas Admiralty Lawyer
Ports, docks and terminals can be dangerous places. Every day employees, passengers and other individuals across the nation suffer traumatic injuries in these kinds of environments. When serious accidents occur, victims have the right to seek financial recovery from all parties responsible for their injuries. Accidents involving maritime accidents often require the assistance of lawyer who specializes in admiralty law. The Texas admiralty lawyers at The Willis Law Firm are committed to protecting the rights of individuals who have been injured in all types of maritime accidents.
Accident Claims We Handle
We represent clients coast-to-coast who are suffering painful and often life-altering injuries. Our admiralty law firm has decades of experience helping workers and other individuals who have been harmed in all types of maritime accidents, including:
Ship Salvage Accidents
Salvaging a stranded ship and its cargo can be a risky and challenging operation for seamen. Whether a wrecked or broken down ship is being repaired, refloated or towed back to shore, salvaging operations are hazardous and serious accidents can take place. Heavy equipment and systems, including versabars, cranes, and salvage tugs and barges are often used in the recovery process. When the vessel or piece of machinery used to salvage the vessel cannot be properly controlled, the “salvors” can be severely injured or killed in the salvaging operation.
When you are injured in a ship salvaging accident it is critical to obtain the information and support you need to confront the difficult challenges you are facing. While your company may promise that it will take care of you, these types of promises are not always kept. Your employer’s interests are not the same as yours and your employer will most likely deny responsibility for your accident and look for ways to limit its financial liability. You need a skilled Houston admiralty attorney on your side who will protect your rights and fight for the full financial compensation you need to deal with your injuries and move forward with your recovery.
Top or Side Handler Accidents
The equipment and machinery used to pick up and load containers on and off of cargo vessels can be quite dangerous if proper care and safety measures are not used. Operators of top and side handlers and spotters must be well trained and maintain a constant awareness of their surroundings in order avoid serious accidents and injuries. If a load were to strike an individual or another structure or apparatus, the results could be deadly.
Unfortunately, innocent workers are injured every day in the maritime industry. No matter how careful you are, when you work in these types of hazardous environments, you run the risk of injuries on the job. Equipment can malfunction, the weather may turn treacherous, your co-workers may disregard safety protocols or countless other dangerous situations could arise which could trigger a major accident or serious injury
It is important to know that when a worker is hurt in a maritime incident, such as a top or side handler accident, the worker will generally be required to report the accident to their employer and the federal Office of Worker’s Compensation Programs within 30 days of the date of the accident. Limited exceptions to the 30-day deadline exist, but it can be very difficult to meet the criteria required for an exception. When you are injured in a top or side handler accident or rubber-tired gantry (RTG) accident you should consult with an experienced Texas admiralty lawyer who can explain your legal rights.
Rigging Accidents
Ship crew members, longshoremen, dock workers, harbor workers and other maritime employees can suffer serious injuries when loading or unloading cargo or equipment from a ship or vessel. When a worker is injured in a rigging accident on or near the water, the worker may be entitled to collect certain benefits under the law, including medical benefits, compensation for lost wages, and rehabilitation services.
The injuries suffered in a rigging accident can be painful, debilitating, and even life-changing. These injuries can range from neck and back strains and herniated disks to amputations, paralysis, head trauma, and death. If you have been hurt in a rigging incident or any other type of maritime accident, you should never try to handle the situation on your own. You may be entitled to legal protection under several laws, including the LHWCA, the Jones Act and other federal and state statutes. You may also be able to file legal claims against multiple parties, including your employer, the owner of the ship or vessel and other companies.
Marine Terminal Accidents
Marine terminals are busy and chaotic places. Maritime workers must follow strict schedules when loading and unloading goods and cargo and passengers from ships and other vessels. When proper care is not taken or the right equipment is unavailable, serious accidents can occur in the loading and offloading process. Heavy cargo can fall and equipment can turn over when cranes, yard hustlers, forklifts, and other pieces of machinery are loaded incorrectly or errors in operation occur. Slips and falls are also regular occurrences due to spills, debris, and improperly maintained loading areas and platforms.
The injuries associated with marine terminal accidents can be painful and severe. Often an injured marine employee must be off from work for an extended period of time and in many cases, the injuries are critical enough to prevent the employee from ever returning to his or her job.
Our Texas Admiralty Attorneys Can Also Assist With:
- Drydock Accidents
- Loading Accidents
- Crane Accidents
- Shipbreaking Accidents
- Shipyard Accidents
- And More…
A Texas Admiralty Lawyer Explains Your Rights and the Law
If you are a worker or passenger who has been injured in a port, dock or terminal accident, you have the legal right to collect damages for your injuries. Depending upon the circumstances of your case, you may be able to seek compensation under a number of different laws and legal theories governing accidents that take place on or near the water. These laws may include:
- The Jones Act – The Jones Act is a federal statute that allows seamen who are injured on the job to sue their employers and vessel operators for negligence damages.
- Unseaworthiness – Under general maritime law, ship owners have an absolute duty to provide a safe and seaworthy vessel. If a vessel is inadequate or unsuitable for its intended use (i.e., not in proper and safe working order) and a seaman is injured, the seaman has the right seek damages from the vessel owner under the doctrine of unseaworthiness.
- Maintenance and Cure – Seamen who are injured or become ill while in the service of a ship or vessel have the right to receive maintenance (daily living allowance) and cure (payments for medical treatments) from their employer.
- Longshore and Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act – Longshoremen, harbor workers, and other individuals who work on ports, docks, and terminals are protected under the Longshore and Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act (LHWCA). The LHWCA is a workers’ compensation program that provides certain benefits and compensation to these types of employees.
- Third Party Lawsuits – Workers and other individuals who are injured by another worker or company, defective product or piece of equipment have the right to file a negligence suit against third-party companies, such as general contractors, subcontractors, as product manufacturers and suppliers, who are responsible for their injuries.
Discuss Your Case with an Experienced Texas Admiralty Lawyer at The Willis Law Firm
When an employee is injured on a port, dock or terminal, it can be difficult to determine which laws apply to the case. The Willis Law Firm has decades of experience representing workers and other individuals who have been injured in all types of maritime accidents, including accidents that have occurred on ports, docks, and terminals. If you have been injured in an admiralty-related accident, a maritime lawyer at our firm can help you navigate the legal system and secure the compensation you need to deal with your injuries. Contact us online or call our firm today at 1-800-468-4878 to schedule a free, confidential consultation with an experienced Houston admiralty attorney.
