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Maritime & Jones Act Workers Claims

Hurt on the Transocean Rig Disaster?

Working on and around boats and rigs, you know the dangers that come along with your job. You took the job willingly and understand that it comes with inherent risks. However, it is the responsibility of your employer to minimize these risks.

The recent explosion on the Transocean Deepwater Horizon on April 22, 2010 demonstrates what can happen if the proper precautions have not been taken.   Before you hire an attorney, do your homework.  The attorneys at Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P. have years of experience in Maritime cases and will fight to protect your rights.

The list of injuries seamen and other maritime workers sustain is long. However, the following make up the most serious injuries sustained while working at sea:

 

These injuries can end the career of a sailor, seaman, or any other maritime worker. Due to the physical demands of working at sea, severe injuries to the hands, arms, legs or back can be catastrophic. Unable to work, you and your family may struggle to get by. If you have been injured, you do not have to wait for your insurance company to settle your claim or for your employer to give you the compensation you deserve. You need a team of professionals to fight for your rights. At Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P. we have over 100 years of combined experience in Maritime/Jones Act cases.

We Fight to Protect Your Rights

At SMSH we work to protect every person injured while working at sea. We specialize in Jones Act /Seaman’s Injuries and are ready to help you if you have been hurt. The following is a list of the diverse groups of people we represent:

 

Maritime / Jones Act Workers Claims

Maritime / Jones Act Worker claims, Longshoreman 3rd Party Claims and Seaman’s Wage Claims are complicated and often difficult cases to prove. In addition, you only have a small window of time to act on a claim. If you miss this window your case will hold little to no value, leaving you without the help you need. At SMSH, we act swiftly to bring you the relief you need.

Responsible for Your Safety

Your employer is responsible for ensuring that your workplace is as free from hazards as possible. The following is a list of events and oversights that often lead to unnecessary injuries:

 

Many of the injuries and deaths resulting from the above could have been prevented: if only proper procedure was taken, if only the equipment was well maintained, if only your supervisor was doing his job. These if only’s can cost you your career. It is not fair to let your employer put your life at risk. If you or someone you know has been injured at sea, please contact the legal team of Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P.

Throughout the Gulf of Mexico, the coastal regions of Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, and on inland waters, on-the-job injuries and deaths occur too often. Offshore workers routinely suffer injuries caused by dangerous conditions.

The Jones Act protects crew members of a vessel in the event they are injured. This law applies to inland river workers and offshore crew members who work on jack-ups, semi-submersibles, barges, drill ships, tugs and towboats, crew boats, dredges, floating cranes, tankers, cargo ships, fishing vessels, chemical ships, research vessels, construction barges, diving vessels, cruise ships, recreational boats, and other floating or movable vessels.  Whether you are a seaman, an officer, a harbor pilot, an oil worker, a technician, a helicopter pilot, work on a tugboat, casino boat, barge, ship, supply boat, semi-submersible drilling rig, jack-up drilling rig or if you become injured on or near the water, you should talk to a maritime law attorney before making a claim or as soon as possible thereafter.

Our attorneys represent injured workers and their families in serious injury and wrongful death claims governed by the Jones Act and related laws.  If a member of your family has been seriously injured or killed as a result of a maritime accident or offshore injury, it is extremely important that you get legal advice before you contact the employer or its insurance company. Representing injured seamen, sailors, and offshore workers has always been at the heart of our law practice.  Since the inception of SMSH, our attorneys have repeatedly obtained positive results for seamen with Jones Act and general maritime law claims.

Our maritime attorneys have won hundreds of cases covered by the Jones Act, Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA), and Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA).

If you think you may have a maritime law claim, please call us at 1-800-282-2122. We are a maritime law firm and we will confidentially speak with you about your injury and answer your questions about maritime law.  No matter where you live, SMSH can help you get the help you need.

Gambling With Your Future

With your health and financial future on the line are you comfortable with just any lawyer? How do you know if the attorney you hire has what it takes to win your case? Our record speaks for itself. The attorneys at SMSH have won hundreds of maritime cases. We have the serious experience you need to help you win your serious injury case.

Though Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P. is based in Texas we handle personal injury cases throughout the United States and all over the world and have done so for over 45 years. We handle cases in: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Read blog posts by our attorney Matthew Shaffer.