On the job injuries can affect anyone, with some reported cases maritime injuries are
difficult to resolve due to the fact that off shore workers cannot receive the
mandated medical care requirement set up by most workers compensation insurance
companies.
With the maritime cases for workers compensation, there are many people throughout
history that were affected by this, and some of these cases were serious enough
to require the injured off shore worker to seek years of medical care.
Prior to the Jones Act established in 1970, fishermen and sailors were subjected to
dangerous working conditions that were blamed for the death of many. With the
Jones in place today there are laws that protect those who are working
offshore.
Although the Jones Act offers the laws to protect those who work on an offshore vessel, it
also comes with rules to follow, in order to be in compliance with the Jones
Act, injured seamen must spend at least thirty percent of their time working on
the ship, or with work relating to the ship.
The laws in place by the Jones Act offer the crew with the ability to seek damages if the
ship is not safe, in addition to neglecting the ships repair and up keep,
damages can be sought for the injured seaman with superiors who do not assist
the injured seaman with needed medical care as quickly as possible.
For those who are injured on the job while offshore, there are legal alternatives should
the seaman not be covered under a worker’s compensation policy, or if the ship
owners workers compensation insurance refuses the seaman’s claim, then a letter
of denial will be submitted.
Once the injured seaman receives a letter of denial from the ship owner’s workers
compensation company, it is time then to seek the skills of a lawyer, the type
of lawyer needed is one that understands maritime law, and how that law applies
to the injured seaman. Seeking the lawyer immediately following any written
documentation proving their clear denial of any benefit that an injured seaman
may have is vital in order to collect the needed benefits.
Injuries are common among those who work offshore, as the jobs related to all offshore occupations are dangerous and can cause injuries that will require medical care for the injured seaman’s entire life, the future medicals related can cause financial devastation as well. Seeking a maritime lawyer with the first letter of denial is critical in cases
like this, who understands the injured seamans need for future medicals.
