While most maritime workers would not dwell on it in a conversation, they all know their vocation is rife with danger in the best of times. They use powerful tools to move gigantic loads while standing on surfaces that are routinely slippery. Changing weather...
Admiralty & Maritime Law
Common types of maritime injuries
Louisiana workers employed in the maritime industry have an elevated risk of accidents on the job. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that commercial fishing, one aspect of this sector, is the most statistically dangerous occupation in the U.S....
Do you qualify for work injury relief under the Jones Act?
If you suffer a catastrophic injury while working on a ship, loading dock or marine setting, the federal Jones Act may cover your medical bills and other costs. This law mandates compensation for workplace injuries regardless of fault as well as coverage for negligent...
Lack of training and the incidence of maritime accidents
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has declared that the maritime industry is one of the most dangerous in the United States. People working in this sector are at risk for many different types of accidents, and those mishaps are often...
How tug boats workers can be covered by The Jones Act
The Jones Act is federal worker's compensation insurance legislation that was enacted back in the 1920s to cover injured maritime workers who were out on the high seas and working under admiralty law at the time of injury. This brought sea workers on a federal...
Understanding the dangers of working in enclosed spaces
Enclosed spaces are an integral part of vessel design, but these spaces present particular hazards to workers. These spaces often have limited access, poor lighting and poor ventilation. Cargo areas, ballast tanks, chain lockers and storage spaces are examples of...
Prescription drug use at sea is complicated for crew members
Below Deck Mediterranean is a reality show mostly about life at sea for staff onboard a luxury ship. However, one episode's conflict raised some interesting legal questions applicable to others who work at sea. The episode's premise involved one crew member asking a...
When a crew member can file an unseaworthiness claim
A vessel's owner may be liable for a seaman's injury if the courts rule that the vessel was unseaworthy and that condition contributed to the injury. Identifying unseaworthy conditions is one of the key aspects of filing a claim and holding the owner or employer...
Jones Act protection after a maritime injury or illness
If you hold any job in the maritime industry, the Jones Act constitutes your means of obtaining compensation from your employer if you become ill or injured. This 1920 federal statute applies the protections of the Federal Employer’s Liability Act to maritime...
4 reasons gangway accidents typically happen
Whether you are working on a commercial vessel or simply boarding one, there is a good chance you must navigate at least one gangway. These passage areas, which are regularly several feet above deck, connect parts of the ship. If you fall from a gangway, you are...