San Jose Maritime Injury Lawyers
Our San Jose Injury Lawyers Can Fight for You
Injured seamen, longshoremen, and maritime workers are eligible for benefits
under the terms of the Jones Act. In order to qualify for benefits, a
seaman or maritime worker must be injured while working in service to
a ship in navigable waters. This means injuries that occur offshore, as
well as those that occur on land, are covered if they involve work injuries
related to ship duties and tasks.
While the Jones Act covers work-related injuries, it also allows injured
seamen and maritime workers to recover additional damages for pain and
suffering when a ship's owner or operator was negligent. At the law
office of Shea & Shea, our
San Jose maritime injury attorneys have the resources needed to investigate maritime accidents and expose
negligence and safety violations that cause serious injuries to workers
on tankers, freighters, rigs, barges, platforms, and seagoing vessels.
Benefits You are Entitled to Under the Jones Act
Regardless of whether your injuries were the result of negligence on the
part of your employer, you are eligible to receive the following benefits
under the terms of the Jones Act:
Maintenance
An injured maritime worker is eligible to receive a daily allowance equal
in amount of money to what it would have cost to feed and shelter that
employee had he or she not been injured at all.
Cure
A ship's owner or operator is required to pay an injured worker's
medical expenses until he or she has recovered a maximum amount of health.
These costs could include expenses for all or some of the following:
- Transportation (ambulance, helicopter airlift)
- Emergency room treatment
- Surgery
- Prescription drugs
- Medical equipment
- Physical therapy
When a ship is in disrepair or when safety violations, poor training, or
other issues create hazards on board, it is considered "unseaworthy."
This does not mean that it is unable to sail or function; rather, it refers
to dangerous and hazardous conditions brought about by a ship's owner
or operator. If your injuries were the result of negligence on the part
of your employer, you may be able to recover compensation for pain and
suffering and additional damages beyond what you are eligible to receive
for maintenance and cure. Our San Jose personal injury lawyers consult
investigators and work with maritime safety experts in exposing gross
negligence on the part of employers. We interview other ship workers and
demand nothing less than fair compensation for our client's injuries.
Why It's Important to Contact a San Jose Personal Injury Lawyer
Not all shipping companies or maritime employers are completely honest
with their employees. Especially when negligence and "unseaworthiness"
are involved, an employer may tell an injured seaman he or she has to
be treated by a company-approved doctor. Or, an injured maritime worker
may be asked to sign a report involving the accident that completely absolves
the company of liability and wrongdoing.
As your legal representation, our San Jose personal injury attorneys protect
your rights and intervene on your behalf with your employer. We won't
let you sign anything that could impact your ability to recover damages
later. And, we won't let your employer mislead you into thinking you
have to see a doctor they approve. We work hard to ensure you receive
the benefits, rights, and protections guaranteed you under the law.
Call Shea & Shea today for representation!