Freighter Crew Member Injured off California Coast

A crew member on a freighter had to be airlifted by a Coast Guard helicopter after he suffered injuries  on the vessel last week. The vessel was located just about 50 miles off the coast of Trinidad, California.

Crew members on the 700-foot MV Caribbean contacted the Coast Guard to report that one of their coworkers had been severely injured after being knocked down on the vessel. The sea had been rough at the time, and the crewmember lost his balance and suffered a fall.

The Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter to meet the freighter offshore, and the helicopter airlifted the injured crew member. He was taken back to the Coast Guard station, and from there, was taken to a hospital in California.

Crewmembers of container ships, cargo vessels and freighters may all qualify as seamen under the Jones Act. The Jones Act requires that a maritime worker be assigned to a vessel, which is in navigation, and that a significant portion of his time be dedicated to the function of the vessel.

As a Jones Act seaman, the crewmember of a container ship or a freighter must receive maintenance and cure payments to tide over medical and household expenses after the injury. A seaman may also file a Jones Act lawsuit alleging negligence or unseaworthiness against an employer and vessel owner.

The Jones Act lawyers at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., Accident & Injury Lawyers represent maritime workers who qualify as seamen under the Jones Act, helping them recover compensation for their injuries.