Roanoke Maritime Lawyers

According to the National Safe Boating Council, nearly 6,200 watercrafts were involved in 4,901 maritime accidents in U.S. waters in 2008. While these maritime accidents resulted in about $811 million in damage costs, thousands of maritime workers were injured and over 759 fatalities occurred. What's more shocking than these maritime accident statistics, however, is the fact that Virginia is known to have some of the most dangerous waters in the nation, due to the state's location, climate and nearby currents.

In fact, the U.S. Coast Guard reports that Virginia ranks 12 th in having the most boating accidents and 9 th in having the most maritime accident fatalities in the U.S. Given such high risks of maritime accidents, it's crucial that maritime workers in Roanoke or the greater Virginia area not only receive the proper training but also make themselves aware of their legal rights, should they sustain an on-the-job injury.

If you or a loved one is an injured maritime worker, learn more about your rights and find out if you are entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses by consulting with an experienced attorney for maritime law.

Causes of Maritime Accidents

Maritime accidents can result from any combination of:

carelessness or recklessness of the captain, crew or other vessel passengers
equipment defect or malfunction
lack of training
operating a vessel while intoxicated with alcohol or drugs
rundown vessels
weather

In the most severe maritime accidents, injured parties can sustain incurable, life-threatening damage to their health. As a result, they may require life-long medical attention, including (not limited to):

assistive technologies (such as motorized wheel chairs or voice activated computer software)
palliative care (to minimize painful or debilitating symptoms of a condition)
pain medication
physical and/or occupational therapies
surgery
round-the-clock nursing care

Compensation via the Jones Act

Due to the elevated risk of injury and death that maritime workers face while working, in 1920, Congress passed the Jones Act (also referred to as the Maritime Act of 1920) into admiralty law in order to specifically protect maritime workers in the event they are injured on the job. According to the statute, injured maritime employees will be entitled to a settlement as long as they can prove negligence or recklessness of a captain, crewmember or equipment manufacturer caused or contributed to their injuries.

In these cases, injured parties should pursue a personal injury maritime lawsuit to win compensation for their:

outstanding medical bills
ongoing treatment costs
lost wages
permanent disabilities
pain and suffering

To learn more about your rights, contact our maritime lawyers to discuss your circumstances with a qualified legal professional.

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Roanoke Maritime Lawyers

Causes of Maritime Accidents

Compensation via the Jones Act

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