While the U.S. east coast is still grappling with the devastating allision of containership M/V DALI and the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, you might be wondering: Does Maritime Law apply to claims resulting from the bridge collapse? After all, the damage resulted from a ship on the navigable waters; but the bridge itself was alongside and above the water?
The short answer is, yes! Maritime Law (also known as Admiralty Law) can extend beyond the navigable waters under the Admiralty Extension Act (AEA).
Originally passed in 1948, the AEA is a piece of legislation that broadened the scope of admiralty jurisdiction in the United States. According to 46 U.S. Code § 30101:
“The admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States extends to and includes cases of injury or damage, to person or property, caused by a vessel on navigable waters, even though the injury or damage is done or consummated on land.”
Simply put, maritime law traditionally only applied to incidents that happened on the water. However, the AEA changed this by allowing people injured on land to make claims if a vessel on navigable waters caused the injury.
Consider this example: a fire erupts on a pleasure yacht docked at a marina in the navigable waters of the United States. Unfortunately, the fire spread from the yacht to the dock, and ultimately to a warehouse located inland from the waterfront. Under the AEA, the warehouse owner whose building and goods were damaged in the fire may have access to a claim against the yacht under Maritime Law.
The relevant takeaways for the AEA are:
The legal claims resulting from M/V Dali striking the Key Bridge will be complicated and protracted. Maritime cargo claims may arise under the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, contract disputes may arise from charter party agreements, General Average may be declared, Limitation of Liability may be sought—and those are just a few examples. Maritime lawyers are sure to be busy untying these complex legal knots for years to come.
But those who were injured or tragically lost a loved one in the incident may have legal claims of their own. These claims may rely on the General Maritime Law, wrongful death laws, and the AEA. And, critically, those claims may be subject to strict statutes of limitations and other special, abbreviated claim deadlines.
Maritime Law is complex, and marine casualties like the M/V Dali allision and Key Bridge collapse are among the most difficult forms of litigation. If you or a loved one was injured or lost during the incident, don’t delay. Get help now from an experienced maritime lawyer. Seasoned admiralty counsel can help you understand your rights under the AEA and determine the best course of action—especially in the face of evolving and time-sensitive deadlines.
Mariner Law, PLLC exclusively represents people who were injured or killed on and around vessels. Call today for a free consultation: (253) 600-2531.