Dock workers perform work in every aspect of the shipping industry. While employers should use their best efforts to make job sites as safe as reasonably possible, dock employees regularly perform their duties under hazardous working conditions, exposing them to the risk of severe on-the-job injuries.
If you suffered an injury due to your duties as a dock worker, you should meet with a maritime injury attorney to understand your legal rights. A well-informed Spring dock worker accident lawyer might be able to help you collect compensation under federal maritime laws.
Dock workers often perform complex tasks in hazardous environments. They frequently work on wet, slippery surfaces in unpredictable, harsh weather conditions. Their job sites are not typically on even surfaces, like solid ground, and they constantly work around heavy freight, complex machinery, and dangerous equipment. Carelessness on the part of an employer or coworker could result in devastating injuries and medical conditions, such as the following:
While some injuries completely heal with proper medical treatment and time, other workers face permanent disability and are unable to return to work. A compassionate dock worker accident lawyer in Spring could help an injured maritime employee fight for fair compensation, regardless of the severity of their injury.
Most maritime workers can collect compensation under various federal maritime laws. While the Jones Act protects a ship’s crew members and other maritime employees who spend most of their time on a single vessel, the Longshore Harbor and Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) provides coverage for maritime personnel, such as dock workers, who perform their job on or around multiple vessels. This law covers people working on or near docks, piers, and wharves and those working in drydocks, terminals, or other places near navigable waters involved in building or repairing ships or loading or unloading cargo.
The LHWCA provides injured dock workers with a means of recovering compensation for medical expenses and a portion of lost wages. Surviving family members could also pursue death and funeral benefits under the LHWCA. An injured dock worker does not need to prove that their employer was negligent to collect these benefits. Experienced Spring dock worker injury attorneys could determine whether a worker qualifies for compensation under this Act.
If you got hurt or lost your loved one while working on a dock, you might be entitled to collect benefits under federal maritime laws. However, filing a claim and collecting benefits may be complex due to strict filing and procedural requirements. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney has experience helping injured maritime workers like you get their rightful benefits.
Call a Spring dock worker accident lawyer today for assistance in fighting for the benefits you deserve.
SMS Legal
N/a