Admiralty and Maritime Accidents

What are maritime accidents – and where can they occur?

When an injury occurs at sea or onboard a vessel on the water, it is known as a maritime accident. The settings for these injuries are varied: cargo ships, commercial fishing vessels, cruise ships, and ferries, to name a few. Varied, too, are the victims who may suffer grave – and often preventable – harm: longshoremen, merchant mariners, seamen, passengers, fishermen, even oil rig workers. Depending on the circumstances of the accident, victims or their families may be able to recover damages for their injuries – and seek accountability from those responsible for them.

What makes a maritime accident different from other types of personal injury cases?

What makes a maritime injury case unique are the specialized – and often complicated – federal laws that may govern the injured party’s claim. These statutes include the Jones Act, which was intended to assist injured seamen by allowing them to sue a ship owner for injuries, or death, due to the owner/employer’s negligence. The Jones Act typically covers seamen who were injured on ships, barges, tugboats, trawlers, fishing boats, ferries – even offshore oil rigs, water taxis, and riverboat casinos. Generally, a worker must spend at least 30 percent of his or her working hours on-board a vessel (or multiple vessels under common ownership or control) to be considered a seaman.

Other federal statutes – such as the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, which covers non-seamen workers injured on navigable waters – may apply, depending on the circumstances of the case. Meanwhile, the Death on the High Seas Act and general maritime law may be used to bring still other cases. In all cases, however, it is important to understand what laws and strategies present the best chance for an optimal recovery. Here, a lawyer experienced in navigating the tricky waters of maritime law isn’t just an ally – but a necessity.

How long do I have to bring a case under the Jones Act?

The Jones Law has a statute of limitations – a time limit after which cases, no matter how valid, cannot be brought – of three years. That makes it important that accident victims don’t just seek prompt medical attention, but prompt legal advice, as well. Many ironclad cases have been lost simply because they never made it to the courts in time. And many deserving accident victims saw their chances at recovery disappear.

Why is it important to work with a lawyer experienced in maritime accidents?

Maritime cases don’t just require a mastery of personal injury law; they require lawyers to understand, and leverage, the complex statutes that govern these accidents. And there’s just one way to get that ability: experience. At Mary Alexander & Associates, we’ve been handling complicated, high-stakes injury cases, including maritime law, for more than a quarter century. Indeed, one of our lawyers practiced maritime law exclusively before joining our firm. Over the past decades, we’ve earned a reputation for unraveling statutes – and unnerving opponents. And we’ve built a record for helping those who have been needlessly injured obtain the recovery, and the answers, they need – and deserve.

How do I pay for your services?

It’s simple: Unless we recover a financial award or settlement, you don’t pay us anything. That’s because we handle maritime accident cases on a contingent-fee basis. In short, the risk is all ours: You pay us only if we’re successful. Expenses work the same way. We pay all costs of the litigation and get reimbursed only if we obtain a settlement or jury award. Think of it this way: It may be your lawsuit, but it’s always our risk. That’s why you can be assured that if we take your case, it’s because we fully intend to win it.

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