St. Charles Maritime Lawyer

When you’ve been injured at work and aren’t sure where to turn, get in touch with a regarded maritime lawyer in St. Charles for assistance seeking the benefits you need to recuperate.

Not all injured maritime employees are able to obtain the same financial support and benefits. Injured seamen can seek these benefits under the Jones Act, while other maritime employees will file claims under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation (LHWCA). 

Pursuing these benefits can seem overwhelming, but when you have an experienced St. Charles maritime lawyer at the Law Office of Braud & Gallagher helping you, you’ll be able to rest easier knowing our team of highly trained professionals is fighting for your rights.

Jones Act Benefits for Injured Seamen

Maritime employees who work on or around the navigable waters are considered seamen, and when a seaman is injured at work, they may be entitled to benefits under the Jones Act similar to those of worker comp. 

However, in order for a claim to be approved under the Jones Act, the ship on which the seaman was injured needs to be or already have been deemed unseaworthy. Vessels will be found unseaworthy for any dangerous conditions on the ship, no matter how minor they may seem. 

Seamen whose claims are approved can then collect maintenance, which refers to the coverage of your necessary living expenses, and cure, which refers to coverage of your injury-related medical expenses. Furthermore, injured seamen can also seek repayment for personal injury losses, including lost wages, pain and suffering, damage to earning capacity, lost quality of life, and more.

What You Need to Know about the LHWCA

You can think of the LHWCA as the maritime industry’s workers compensation law. Here, when a longshoreman, shipyard worker, harbor worker, or other maritime employee who is not a seaman suffers an on-the-job injury, they can collect certain benefits while they are out of work and recuperating. 

These benefits consist of full coverage of your injury-related healthcare costs, equipment, and transportation costs to and from doctor’s visits. This way, you don’t have to worry about how you will pay off a mountain of medical expenses.

You’ll also be able to receive disability benefits amounting to approximately two-thirds of your average weekly wages if your claim is approved. Furthermore, if your injuries are so severe that you can no longer work in the maritime industry, you can gain access to educational opportunities and vocational training so you can hopefully become employed elsewhere once you are able to go back to work.

Contact a Maritime Lawyer in St. Charles

To learn more about how a St. Charles maritime lawyer at the Law Office of Braud & Gallagher could assist you in obtaining financial support and other benefits while you recuperate from your injuries, reach out to our firm as soon as possible. 

We provide complimentary consultations to injured maritime employees across the state of Louisiana. You can take advantage of this opportunity by submitting the online contact form we have provided at the bottom of this page or calling our office at 1-800-256-5674 to schedule yours.