A maritime injury can be a devastating event in any seaman's life.
Not only does a maritime injury at sea cause a seaman to incur substantial medical expenses and unexpected room and board expenses while ashore with an injury, but also to lose out on significant past, present and future income as a result of an injury.
While Washington law forces on-shore workers injured on the job to apply for compensation under worker's compensation laws, injuries suffered by a seaman while at sea may qualify for considerable additional monetary benefits for your injuries under the Jones Act.
An experienced, qualified maritime injury lawyer is necessary for victims to receive just compensation in these cases.
Such additional monetary compensation available to qualifying seamen under the Jones Act includes past, present and future:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental Distress
- Earnings losses
- Earnings capacity losses
- Loss of life enjoyment
In addition to the additional compensation cited above, a qualifying seaman is also entitled to receive maintenance, cure and unearned wages.
Maintenance is defined as the seaman's reasonable expenses of room and board while ashore until the seaman is fit for duty or until the maximum available maintenance benefits have been paid, whichever comes first. Cure is the reasonable medical expenses incurred by the seaman for medical treatment and rehabilitation therapies. Unearned wages are wages that the seaman would have received if he had not become sick or injured, to the end of the voyage.
To receive the additional damages available under the Jones Act (and also under certain other limited circumstances), a seamen must meet certain technical legal requirements. A quality maritime injury lawyer can help determine if you meet those requirements, and if so, to receive maximum compensation available to you.
Foster Law Offices provides aggressive legal representation to seamen suffering from a maritime injury received while at sea.
To discuss your maritime injury with an attorney, or to inquire about your legal rights associated with your maritime injury at sea, please contact us to schedule a free consultation.
