A Seaman's Rights
Offshore Injury Attorney for Seamen's Rights
You were trying to do your job as directed when the offshore accident occurred. Now you are seriously injured and unable to work for an extended period. You wonder what your rights are and whether your employer is being straight with you about the employer's obligations to you as an injured and out-of-work seaman. You've come to the right place. An offshore injury attorney at our law firm can provide you with helpful, straightforward information and guidance related to your rights as an injured seaman. We are committed to helping our clients recover fair financial compensation for their injuries and are ready to see how we can help you.
When injuries occur offshore, seamen, including workers on many types of oil platforms and jack-up rigs, have certain absolute and unconditional rights. Injured seamen have a right to paid medical care, including medicine and physical therapy, as well as their wages for the duration of the voyage and payments for room and board while recovering or until maximum medical improvement is reached. Injured seamen are entitled to these benefits regardless of who or what caused the accident. These seaman's rights are the legal obligation of the maritime employer and are in addition to any rights the injured or ill crew may have under the Jones Act or general maritime law. Seamen also have a right to sue a negligent employer or ship owner for injuries that occur while working on a ship or vessel.
Protecting the Rights of an Injured Seaman
At Arnold & Itkin LLP, we understand a seaman's rights and work to ensure that employers meet their full obligation to injured offshore workers across the Gulf of Mexico and in all coastal states in the U.S. Our offshore injury attorneys are committed to seeing that injured and ill maritime workers receive the full benefits to which they're entitled. We have helped many injured offshore workers in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi as well as throughout the United States obtain financial help to pay their medical bills, pay rent and put food on the table.
A seaman's rights to maintenance and cure also include the right to choose your own doctors or health care provider and the right to seek a second opinion beyond the diagnosis of your injury or illness by a company doctor. Maintenance benefits include basic living expenses such as rent or mortgage payments, utilities, food and transportation.
As to who qualifies for a seaman's rights, a seaman is broadly defined in the law. Legally speaking, a seaman includes all occupations aboard a ship, barge or offshore platform that contribute to the mission of the vessel — from cook to chief mate to captain. Seamen include offshore workers and inland river workers who work on a barge, towboat, drill ship, jack-up rig, towed oil platform, semi-submersible rig, cargo ship and commercial fishing vessel. A seaman's rights are distinct from the rights of a harbor worker or longshoreman, who are protected by the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act.
Another seaman's right is the right to file a claim to receive maintenance and cure if the employer refuses to pay the benefits or provides inadequate benefits.
Under the Jones Act, seamen have a right to file a lawsuit against a negligent ship employer or owner for injuries that occur offshore or on navigable waters. Under general maritime law and the Jones Act, as an injured seaman, you have a right to seek compensation for lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, medical expenses, and pain and suffering.
Work with an Experienced Maritime Lawyer
At Arnold & Itkin LLP, we hold maritime employers accountable for providing full and inclusive maintenance and cure benefits and respecting other seamen's rights. If you or someone you love was injured while working on a vessel and you are interested in learning more about your right to compensation, now is the time to contact our firm. Your initial consultation is free and completely confidential.
Contact an offshore injury attorney at our firm today to discuss your rights as a seaman and how we can protect these.
