Rights of Injured Crewmembers After Offshore Injuries
When an offshore accident occurs, it could result in head injuries, knee injuries, back and neck injuries, broken bones, and even catastrophic injuries. Many times a crew member cannot return to work after sustaining one of these injuries, or an injury may severely limit their ability to do their job fully.
When crewmembers aboard a vessel are injured at work, they can recover damages for injuries they sustained on the ship. The Jones Act is the best remedy for injured members of a ship's crew, as it compensates for past and future pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wages and more. This law allows injured seamen to collect damages from their employer - the negligent cruise line.
Several cruise lines have recently attempted to limit compensation and recovery rights for injured crew members aboard their cruise ships. Many employment contracts now contain clauses that will limit the amount of daily maintenance that a cruise line would be required to pay in the event of an injury. There are also clauses in employment agreements that would not allow a crew member to sue a cruise line in court, but rather arbitrate their claims.
This is why it is important to have an experienced offshore injury attorney on your side to review your employment agreement and talk to you about your protections under maritime law after your offshore injury. Maritime law can be confusing and complex, which is why you need someone who has experience representing offshore workers.
Having a lawyer who has represented other injured crewmembers before and has knowledge about the Jones Act and maritime laws will benefit your recovery. If you were injured at work on a cruise ship, under the law, the cruise line should be responsible to pay maintenance and cure, which includes your room and board and medical treatment - until you reach maximum medical improvement. Make sure your case is in the right hands, and call a skilled Texas offshore injury attorney at the Voss Law Firm at 888-614-7730 to schedule a free legal consultation.
The Voss Law Firm, P.C. represents clients on a local, national and international basis. We proudly serve companies and individuals along the Gulf Coast and around the globe on a contingency fee basis. Our law firm collects nothing unless we recover on our client's behalf.
