Being injured working is stressful, overwhelming and even terrifying for any person. Employers may not make the efforts you’d expect them to warrant your safety. In many cases insurance companies and employers employ covert methods to force offshore workers to settle cases fast. This is why you should talk to an experienced lawyer for offshore injuries who will inform you about your rights as a maritime lawyer.
In the case of an offshore worker who has been injured that relies on your fitness for your job is vital to obtain the most payout and other benefits that you’re entitled under maritime law for yourself as well as your family members and your overall health.
NEED AN OFFSHORE INJURY LAWYER? HAVE YOU BEEN INJURED IN AN OFFSHORE OR MARITIME ACCIDENT?
The ocean is among the most hazardous work place anywhere on earth. US marine industries can be present in all states, and employing around 400,000 employees throughout the country. The maritime workforce is employed in many fields like shipyards, ports for marine vessels, fishing and aquaculture, processing of seafood commercial diving, and shipping. Based on the Centers for Disease Control, maritime workers have a higher danger of sustaining injuries, death and illnesses as compared to the typical American worker.
From falls and slips to accidents, equipment malfunctions or fires to negligent work practices and unsafe working conditions Offshore injuries typically require expense-intensive medical attention often for a long time. Injuries that cause catastrophic damage, the injured person who depends upon his physical strength is not able to be able to return to work. This could be disastrous for families, specifically in the case where the employee is sole breadwinner, and cannot be able to earn a decent livelihood.
Offshore-related injuries are covered by laws which differ than those applicable to the land-based workforce. Should you, or someone else you know was injured or fell sick while working offshore, we urge you to speak with a skilled lawyer for offshore injuries by calling Montagna Maritime Law as soon as possible in order to get the complimentary case assessment.
Types of Offshore Injuries
When a worker from offshore takes to work within the maritime industry It is understood that the work can be physically demanding, and can carry inherent risk that can be much more hazardous when compared with land-based jobs. Accidents are frequent and can vary from small to catastrophic, or even fatal. Many times, small accidents can turn serious over time.
A few of the most commonly reported kinds of offshore accidents comprise:
Traumatic brain injury
TBIs can manifest in various methods. Offshore workers regularly put their bodies in manufacturing and other industrial conditions. Head injuries caused by a blow caused by a fall or slip or being hit by an unsecure or swinging cargo could result in trauma to the brain. It can cause permanent changes in the personality or cognitive function.
Injuries to the back and spine
Operating machinery, carrying large loads and requiring hard work is a strenuous job that requires a lot of sitting, bending, lifting and pulling. Workers working offshore can suffer injuries as a result of falls, or be hit by vehicles or unstable loads. Neck or back injuries may cause persistent pain, restricted mobility and in extreme situations, it can cause quadriplegia or paraplegia. If medical treatment is not given promptly, there could become long-term impairments due to back or spinal injury.
Falls and slips
The injuries that result from slips and fall can be among the most frequent as well as severe. The consequences of slips or falls could lead to concussions, as well as injuries to fractured bones. In certain cases, sliding onto the surface of a vessel or platform may result in a fall, which quickly escalates into a risky circumstance.
Hearing loss
If hearing protection isn’t mandatory or provided It is possible that, eventually, people may be exposed to sufficient loud noises to degrade their hearing. When workplaces are noisy enough hearing loss, tinnitus, or complete hearing loss could develop.
Legs lost
By accident, walking across the direction of a truck or forklift, or working using cables that are strained, or even getting your leg caught and crushed under unsteady equipment like pipes, coils plates and even tires may result in injuries that require the removal of limbs. Losing an limb can be a devastating accident that often will require an artificial limb.
Crushing injuries, broken bones and fractures bones
Offshore jobs typically involve the use of a lot of large machinery, whether to construct or in day-to-day tasks. Accidents can happen when the machine breaks down or safety rules don’t follow. The most common result is fractured or crushed bones. The impact of crushing injuries may cause internal organs, causing dangerous circumstances.
Frostbite and hypothermia
The maritime and offshore workers typically operate in extremely harsh conditions and throughout the night and day. So, offshore workers are frequently subjected to extreme cold temperatures that can lead to the condition of frostbite and hypothermia. This risk can be aggravated through exposure to sea, be it through harsh weather conditions or an accidental fall.
Drowning
A slip or fall on the water can transform into a fatal injury, particularly if healing isn’t immediate. Furthermore, hypothermia may occur even in water that is relatively warm.
Lung damage
If safety rules aren’t adhered to or enforced, or if accidents result in spills workers may suffer severe chemical-related injuries. If these substances are breathed in then long-lasting and serious lung damage may be a result. Certain instances of exposure to large quantities of these chemicals could be instantly life-threatening. However, in other instances, lower exposures could result in lesser injury that may become permanent or chronic.
Fatalities
Every every year, offshore workers suffer fatal accidents on their respective East Coast of the United States. If you’ve suffered the loss of a loved one was killed as a result of the negligence or accident and you’re entitled to claim damages in the event of the loss of their life.
Claiming Compensation for Offshore Injuries
A serious accident offshore may change your life, especially in the event that it’s classified as a devastating. Based on the nature of your injuries, as well as the factors that led the cause, you could get compensation:
- Loss of earnings An action for lost wages is essential for those who are injured overseas as well as their family members. If you’re not working due to an injury, you could claim compensation for the income you’ve lost, losing and are likely to suffer due to your injuries.
- Medical costs If you’ve sustained an injury that was serious offshore you’re likely to find that your medical expenses are accumulating. It’s possible to be able to claim current costs as well as future medical costs. The claims could include expenses for rehabilitation, surgeries or rehabilitation, mental health treatment, as well as transportation expenses to receive medical treatment.
- The pain and suffering The pain and suffering is separated into mental and emotional pain and suffering. Your actual physical injuries as well in the suffering and pain due to scarring, disability, and chronic complications; as well as the psychological pain and suffering which includes mental stress and anxiety, stress, as well as the loss of pleasure from your life.
If you are able to qualify as an Jones Act seaman you’re eligible for maintenance and a cure as an essential right for all seamen. If you’ve sustained a workplace-related injury, the employer has to provide your basic cost of living (maintenance) as well as medical costs (cure) during the time you’re not working due to your recovery.
Offshore workers who don’t satisfy the criteria of “seaman” might be eligible to receive benefits under another federal law known as that is the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA).
In the case of severe injuries the offshore injury can result in deaths. Families of the victims may have the right to compensation via the filing of a claim for compensation due to wrongful deaths against the party responsible.
Choosing the Right Offshore Injury Attorney
If you’ve suffered injuries by an accident off the coast and have suffered injuries, it is essential to have a seasoned marine or offshore injury lawyer on your side to defend your rights as a legal person. Lawyers for maritime law are experienced litigators who are aware of the federal and state maritime laws as well as international conventions as well as have a sound judgement in winning your case and receiving the highest amount of compensation to cover your losses.
The field of maritime law is an extremely competent and highly specialized field of law. It’s not many lawyers that practice this field with as energetically as the lawyers from Montagna Maritime Law. Contact us today to arrange for your complimentary case review for a discussion of your legal options with a seasoned maritime attorney at no cost upfront.
Highly Rated Offshore Accident Attorneys in Norfolk, Virginia
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