Fourchon Cargo Ship Accident Lawyer

Cargo ships are responsible for moving the vast majority of the goods sold in markets in Louisiana, the United States, and the world as a whole. Each of these ships is crewed by a dedicated set of workers ranging from deckhands and mechanics to navigators and officers.

However, even with modern safety equipment, resilient materials, and accurate GPS systems, it is not uncommon for workers on these vessels to suffer injuries. Whenever these injuries are suffered while on the ship, the injured worker has the right to seek compensation.

However, this compensation is not provided by a workers’ compensation insurance policy. Instead, the injured worker must sue the boat’s owner directly for any personal, economic, or emotional damage suffered in such an incident.

A Fourchon cargo ship accident lawyer could help cargo ship workers to file lawsuits in federal court or in state court demanding compensation following an injury at sea. Seasoned maritime attorneys understand the federal law as it applies to worker rights and how to form demand letters that give people the best chance at a positive outcome.

The Rights of Workers at Sea

As any skilled Fourchon cargo ship accident lawyer can confirm, employment at sea creates a unique set of legal circumstances. Once a ship leaves port, it is no longer governed by the rules of the state from which it departed. Instead, maritime law controls all aspects of the ship’s operations and interactions with other vessels. One way that this can directly affect the lives of cargo ship workers is when one of them becomes injured.

Typically, an on-the-job injury is governed by workers’ compensation laws. Employers in Louisiana are required to obtain workers’ compensation insurance that provides benefits to any worker injured while doing their job. However, since a cargo ship typically travels to many other states and even other countries, it is not governed by Louisiana state law.

Instead, a federal maritime law known as the Jones Act specifically gives workers the ability to sue his employer in event of an injury or death. According to 46 U.S.C. §30104, injured cargo ship workers and their families have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit in a United States District Court or in state court claiming damages for an injury that happened while on board the ship. This extends to both injuries suffered while on the job and those that happen while off duty.

What Sort of Injuries May a Cargo Ship Worker Claim?

The Jones Act does not specify which sorts of injuries plaintiffs in these cases may claim. In a typical workers’ compensation claim, an employee can only claim compensation for medical costs and any lost wages. Workers injured while at sea, on the other hand, are allowed to claim all the same damages that a plaintiff in any other personal injury case would.

For example, a person injured in a car accident could claim the costs of medical treatment, any lost earnings that result from the incident, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, and even loss of companionship. Likewise, the Jones Act allows cargo ship workers to claim the same sort of damages. A knowledgeable Fourchon cargo ship accident attorney could work with individuals to form demand packages that accurately reflect the impact of the incident on their lives and ask for appropriate compensation.

Speaking with a Fourchon Cargo Ship Accident Attorney

Cargo ships can be some of the most dangerous work environments on the planets. Employees regularly deal with complex tools, heavy machinery, harsh weather conditions, and even the prospect—however slim—of piracy in order to do their jobs. As a result, it is not uncommon for these workers to suffer serious injuries during the course of their employment.

The federally enforced Jones Act allows any worker injured while on a cargo ship to directly sue the ship’s owner in Federal Court for compensation related to medical costs, economic damages, and emotional pain and suffering. A Fourchon cargo ship accident lawyer could help you achieve a positive outcome in your case by forming demand packages, filing complaints in court, and arguing the case at trial to get you the compensation that you deserve. Call today to learn more.