What Should I do if I'm Injured While Working on a Ship?

Yes. If someone wrongfully injures you or the ship was unseaworthy at the time of incident, then the law will be on your side.

First of all, take a breath. Relax. Remember that the law actually favors you if you are in these circumstances. The Jones Act provides benefits and compensation to seamen that are injured because of negligence or unseaworthy conditions. To read more about what you could recover in a claim, click here. This system is set up so that more people would want to work at sea and, therefore, it helps them in the unfortunate situation that there is an accident. Don't do anything until you are ready, healthy, and prepared!

After an incident at sea, you should document questions, concerns, and memories about the event.

Accidents often make remembering what exactly happened later rather difficult. Therefore, it is critical that you make a detailed list of memories and questions prior to meeting with doctors, lawyers, and other people. Note how the incident happened, who was there, what equipment was being used, any instructions that you were given, and anything else that you can remember. Also, make a list of any questions or concerns that you have about your injuries or circumstances of the accident. Not only will this help you remember what happened in the future, but it will help you work with others in resolving the situation as well.

There are several professionals you should consult following a maritime injury. They should seek to heal your injuries or fight for your recovery among other things.

Soon after you are involved in an accident on a vessel at sea, it is important for you to seek professional help. Obviously, you should consult doctors. They can diagnose and treat any illnesses and injuries that you have. Also, implicitly, medical attention will help you create a memorialized log of how the incident physically and otherwise hurt you. This will be important to make your case in the future and get compensation. Additionally, you should find a competent maritime attorney. He or she can instruct you on what to do, what to gather, whom to talk to, and what to say in order to preserve the recovery that you deserve.

In order to win your case, you will need to gather certain documents. These items relate to the circumstances of the incident as well as the consequences it had on your health, finances, and future. They include the ship's logs, medical records, incident reports, third-party statements, and other related things. Your attorney can work to secure these items but they could disappear quickly so you should retain them if you can.

You should primarily avoid speaking with anyone associated with the person who caused the affair.

If you are injured while working on a ship in passage, then there are certain things you should avoid. First, do not speak to your employer about the incident. Second, do not speak to the insurance company of your employer. Third, and finally, do not speak to your employer's attorney. Communicating with any of the parties that caused your harms and losses or their representatives can only risk your ability to seek compensation in the future. Your attorney should deal with these people.

Generally, Jones Act cases, like other kinds of cases, take around one year to resolve.

Predicting when any case will end is a difficult task. They all involve complicated procedures. It is nearly impossible to determine with precise accuracy how factual elements of the underlying case will play out in trial. Also, many lawsuits short circuit into settlement, thereby cutting the timeline short. Additionally, you cannot with one hundred percent certainty which ones will go into such an agreement. However, until you speak with a Jones Act attorney, you will not have any idea what length of time to expect your claim to take.

There are several key phases that come after an accident involving law, investigation, and communication.

We have spent time analyzing what steps sailors should take in the immediate aftermath of an accident at sea. However, when we meet with sailors in our initial consultations, they often want to know what's next. Generally, there are a few key phases to a Jones Act case: pre-trial, discovery, and trial. Pre-trial involves a lot of legal and factual research. It is the time when you build the bedrock of your case. Discovery is the early era of a lawsuit. This is when you probe the other side for its weaknesses and your strengths. Finally, trial requires you to present and prove your version of the incident. There are other important elements to any sailor suit but these tend to be the most critical because they strategically shape your case.

It might seem like there are a million things to do after your Jones Act injury. Also, that can come with a lot of pressure because failure to complete them sufficiently can sink your chances at compensation and other kinds of recovery from the wrongdoers. So let us take care of it. We've done it before and can do it for you. We know what it takes: experience, resources, and passion. Call us and hear about how we can help you succeed on your Jones Act claim. Our phone number is (888) 424-5757 but you can also reach us on our website.