Houma Maritime Lawyer
If you work on or around the seas and you suffer a work-related injury, you may have the right to obtain financial assistance through your employer. Consult with a maritime lawyer in Houma for the help you need.
Injured seamen, harbor workers, longshoremen, shipyard workers, and other maritime employees may be looking into what their options are for financial assistance when an on-the-job injury keeps them out of work.
Thankfully, maritime workers are covered under federal maritime laws, though the way the injured worker will go about collecting the benefits they’re entitled to will vary depending on what type of employee they are classified as.
Your Houma maritime lawyer at the Law Office of Braud & Gallagher has years of success in obtaining the appropriate benefits for injured maritime employees. We’ll work to build you a powerful claim so you can begin collecting your benefits as soon as possible.
Compensation for Injured Seamen
Employees who work on the navigable waters are considered seamen. Injured seamen are entitled to benefits through the Jones Act when they suffer a work-related injury. For you to obtain benefits under the Jones Act, your attorney will need to establish unseaworthiness, meaning the ship became unsafe at some point, which caused you to suffer an injury.
The Jones Act enables seamen to recover compensation for their injuries similar to that of a personal injury claim, including pain and suffering, vocational rehabilitation costs, past and future loss of income, psychological trauma, and loss of enjoyment of life, among others.
Additionally, seamen are entitled to what’s known as maintenance and cure. Cure refers to the coverage of your necessary medical expenses, while maintenance refers to coverage of your daily living expenses, such as your utility payments, mortgage or rent, and grocery costs.
How Other Injured Maritime Employees Are Protected
Maritime employees who aren’t seamen are unable to seek Louisiana workers compensation benefits when they are injured at work, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t protected. The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) provides the benefits that these injured maritime employees need to continue supporting themselves and their families. These benefits may consist of:
- Disability benefits (approximately 66 percent of your average weekly earnings)
- Coverage for costs of job training or education
- Payment of your necessary healthcare costs, including equipment and fees
- Death benefits for surviving family members of a deceased maritime employee
If you have further questions about how to go about securing LHWCA benefits, or if you are interested in learning more about your rights under the LHWCA, you should speak with an attorney for the personalized attention you deserve.
Get Help from an Experienced Maritime Lawyer in Houma
Federal maritime laws are complex, and when you’re dealing with an on-the-job injury, deciphering these rules and regulations can be a struggle. Work with a Houma maritime lawyer at the Law Office of Braud & Gallagher so you have a complete understanding of what’s to come as you seek the disability benefits that are your legal right.
You can schedule your free claim review by calling our firm at 1-800-256-5674 or filling out the brief contact form we have provided at the bottom of this page.
