In the aftermath of a maritime injury , proper documentation can have a significant impact on the outcome of any resulting claim. It can influence an injured worker’s ability to prove negligence under the Jones Act or that an injury qualifies under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act . It might influence the outcome of a claim of unseaworthiness and the perceived value of an injured ...
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Maritime work is inherently dangerous. The unpredictable nature of the open sea presents challenges such as severe weather conditions, strong currents, and large waves, which can lead to accidents, injuries, or even fatalities. The physically demanding nature of the work, including heavy lifting, operating complex machinery, and navigating slippery surfaces, increases the risk of injuries. The ...
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A seaman is someone who does certain work on a vessel that's in navigable water. We'll further define each part of that statement, but it can first help to understand why someone would need to be considered a seaman, and why the definition has been hotly contested in court. If you work offshore and get hurt on the job, you cannot file a workers' compensation claim like employees on land can do in ...
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The captain goes down with the ship. This maritime tradition is as old as the industry itself, but what about its modern application? Does the captain really have to go down with their ship, or does the maxim apply more to a captain’s obligation to do everything possible to rescue others if their vessel is sinking? It seems the latter is true, but there’s a bit more to it. On the evening of ...
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6 Recent Groundings & Why They Happened It's been nearly two years since the historic grounding of the Ever Given in the Suez Canal, which halted commercial traffic for a week. This disrupted billions of dollars of trade and grabbed worldwide attention. The accident would later be blamed on trying to navigate the ship with just two pilots on the bridge and no tow vessels fore or aft of the ...
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Commercial fishermen , offshore workers , and all seamen are at risk of experiencing one of the most devastating injuries: amputation. A hand, finger, foot, or another part of the body may be completely severed in a maritime accident or may be damaged to such an extent that it must be surgically amputated, causing significant physical and emotional trauma—not to mention impacting the worker’s ...
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