Maritime Accident Lawyer in Kent

For many, getting hurt at sea is a devastating experience. Suddenly your livelihood is taken away from you and replaced by unbearable memories and physical pain. Medical bills are piling up and you’re unable to work. You don’t have the time or energy to investigate your own injury claim, sort through the nuances of maritime law, and go head-to-head with insurance companies and employers who only want to delay and deny your claim.  

This is where Herschensohn Law enters the picture. Attorney Zach Herschensohn and his team have the knowledge and experience to handle complex cases involving maritime injuries, including those that involve some of the most complicated applicable laws. 

The Jones Act  

This federal law, also known as section 27 of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, defines the rights of seamen and gives them the power to hold a ship owner, captain, or crew members legally responsible for damages suffered by the seaman due to negligence. Negligence can include hiring inexperienced or unqualified crewmen, failure to avoid dangerous weather, unseaworthy vessels, failure to maintain safe equipment and more. The Jones Act covers seamen who were injured in work accidents, while living on the vessel, and while leaving or arriving on the boat. 

Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act 

The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) is a federal law that compensates people injured at work in navigable waters for medical care and rehabilitation services. The LHWCA also covers injuries that happen while a longshoreman or other worker is loading, unloading, or repairing a ship or vessel, as well as survivor benefits. Benefits are typically paid by a self-insured employer or private insurance.  

Death on the High Seas Act 

Also known as DOHSA, the Death on the High Seas Act compensates families of shipmen who lost their lives working at sea. Surviving family members can claim mental anguish and pain and suffering, in addition to lost wages, but they must be able to prove that the shipping company’s negligence or unlawful actions caused their loved one’s death. 

Maintenance and Cure 

Maritime workers who get injured or become sick while on the job are entitled to maintenance and cure benefits. These are also known as “Seaman’s Benefits.” Regardless of who’s responsible for the injury or illness, the seaman is entitled to receive maintenance and cure benefits from their employer while they recover. Maintenance refers to the room and board of the injured seaman and can cover expenses such as the maritime worker’s rent and food. Cure refers to the seaman’s medical expenses, including the cost of traveling to and from doctor appointments. Injured maritime workers can receive maintenance and cure benefits until they are cleared and discharged by a doctor. 

Marine Construction 

The Seattle metro area is a hub of marine construction as ports, marinas and bridges that are continuously being built, maintained and expanded. Working near the water poses a serious risk to contractors, as tides, currents, waves and swells can cause an accident that results in severe injury or death. Marine construction workers are constantly around dangerous apparatus and are also at risk of getting hurt in a transportation accident or a slip and fall incident.