Great Lakes Maritime Attorney

The Great Lakes are a group of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America at the Canada-U.S. border. They form the largest group of freshwater lakes on the planet by total surface, which totals 80,545 square miles. They hold an astounding 21% of Earth's total surface fresh water. Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario comprise the Great Lakes. The following states border part of one or more of the Great Lakes: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

Cargo and vessels moving between ports on the Great Lakes are governed by the Jones Act. This means that when a worker on a vessel is injured, he or she may be entitled to receive benefits under the Jones Act and/or other applicable maritime laws. A Great Lakes maritime injury attorney can help you determine which laws may apply to your particular situation, if you or someone you love has been injured as a maritime worker on any of the Great Lakes.

Great Lakes: Port Information

There are 15 international ports and approximately 50 smaller ports on the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway system. Some of the key U.S. ports include:

• Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor is located in Portage, Indiana on the south shore of Lake Michigan. It is approximately 30 miles by land and 18 nautical miles from Chicago.
• Port of Detroit is located in Michigan and is operated by the Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority.
• Port of Duluth-Superior is the number one volume port on the Great Lakes and is the second largest dry bulk port in the nation. It is located at the head of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system. It handles both domestic and international cargo.
• Port of Lorain is located on the southern shore of Lake Erie in Northeast Ohio and is operated by the Lorain Port Authority.
• Port of Milwaukee is located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, approximately 75 miles north of Chicago. It is well known for its heavy lift capacity, for both liquid and dry cargo.
• Port of Ogdensburg is located at the northwest border of York and is the only U.S. port on the St. Lawrence Seaway. It is operated by the Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority.
• Port of Oswego is located in New York at the southeast shore of Lake Ontario. The port processes more than 500,000 tons of cargo every year and is operated by the Port of Oswego Authority.
• Port of Toledo is located on Lake Erie in Ohio. It is operated by the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority and handles more than 12 million tons of cargo every year.

At Arnold & Itkin LLP we represent injured seamen, vessel workers, harbor workers, and longshoremen throughout the United States. This includes those working on the Great Lakes as well as those working offshore or in any navigable waters in the nation.

Protecting a Seaman's Rights
Great Lakes Offshore Injury Lawyer

If you are interested in finding out more about your rights as a seaman, longshoreman, or harbor worker, you can count on the knowledgeable guidance an offshore injury lawyer at our firm can provide. We have handled countless maritime claims and have successfully recovered billions of dollars for our clients in settlements and verdicts.

To learn more, contact a Great Lakes maritime injury attorney today.