Mariner Law, PLLC's attorney Adam Deitz was recently featured in the Lawrina Legal Blog to answer the question: What does a maritime lawyer do?
Attorney Deitz explained that a maritime lawyer, sometimes called an admiralty attorney, handles legal issues under maritime law. However, maritime law is vast and maritime lawyers often function differently from other less-specialized lawyers. Attorney Deitz went on to paint a broad-brush picture of the various types of maritime cases and the common admiralty laws that apply. He also made helpful suggestions on when it may be appropriate to contact a maritime lawyer and offered tips on what to look for in a maritime law firm.
The full article is available here: https://lawrina.com/what-does-a-maritime-lawyer-do/
While Attorney Deitz has extensive experience in a wide range of maritime legal issues, Mariner Law, PLLC specializes in maritime personal injury and wrongful death matters. The firm exclusively represents victims of negligence on the water. This includes injured offshore workers, shoreside employees, and pleasure boaters. In addition to the issues covered by Lawrina, injured mariners also tend to ask the following:
When a mariner or longshoreman is injured or tragically killed on the job, the following may be implicated:
Maintenance and Cure
Jones Act
General Maritime Law
Unseaworthiness
Maritime Wrongful Death
Death on the High Seas Act
Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act
Seaman’s Protection Act
Seaman’s Manslaughter Statute
Limitation of Liability Act
Some of these laws provide rights and remedies to injured mariners or their surviving family members. Others provide protections to vessel owners. But all of these laws require an experienced hand to navigate.
If you or a family member suffered a maritime injury, here are a few tips to get started:
Report any injury to your supervisor, the captain, and/or the vessel owner as soon as possible. Sometimes you may not immediately know that you were injured, so be sure to report any symptoms as soon as you been to experience them.
Go to the doctor and get medical treatment. Your health should always be your first priority. Talk to your doctor about all of your symptoms and how they relate to your workplace injury. Do not minimize your pain or act tough. Then follow your doctor’s instructions to the letter. Be kind and respectful to doctors and their staff. Always show up to appointments on time and follow-up as the doctor instructs. If you were a Jones Act seaman, you may be entitled to maintenance and cure to pay for some of your living expenses and your medical care. Call a maritime attorney to learn more.
You may be asked to fill out an incident report for the vessel owner, your employer, and/or the United States Coast Guard. If you need emergency medical attention, the report can wait. When you do fill it out, be sure that you are thorough and honest about what caused your injury. Don’t feel that you should downplay any contributing factors in an effort to rush or minimize what happened. And always ask for a copy of anything you write.
If you are asked to sign anything that you don’t understand, contact a lawyer immediately. Be especially suspicious of any documents labeled “Release” or “Settlement”.
Keep copies of everything, including your crew contract, medical records, pay stubs, and correspondence about your claim. Also be sure to hang onto photos, text messages, and emails that are even remotely relevant.
You may be contacted by an attorney or an insurance adjuster to “talk about what happened.” These individuals typically work for your employer and/or their insurance company. They are usually trying to build a case against you to pay as little as possible. Do not speak with them before you talk to a maritime lawyer. Do not let them take a recorded interview or a written statement.
Some clever insurance companies may offer money to settle your claim before you’re fully recovered or before you contact an attorney. It is hard for non-lawyers to know what they are entitled to under admiralty law, so contacting an attorney before settling is always advisable. Initial consultation with a maritime attorney at Mariner Law, PLLC is free.
Maritime law is special and not every attorney has the knowledge and experience to handle mariner injuries. Many maritime laws are in place to help, but the only way to know what assistance is available is to consult an admiralty attorney.
An experienced maritime lawyer has one job: to get what you’re entitled to under maritime law. Look for lawyers that specialize in maritime injuries or exclusively represent mariners. Counsel like Mariner Law, PLLC can help you understand your options in the complex and sometimes confusing field of maritime law. This includes helping to:
Identify what class of claimant you are
Determine what immediate benefits you are entitled to, such as living expenses and medical costs
Investigate what caused your injured and who maybe at fault
Understand maritime and admiralty law issues relevant to your claim
If you or a loved one was injured on or near the water, contact a maritime attorney at Mariner Law, PLLC. The firm represents offshore injury victims in Washington, Oregon, New York, Connecticut, Alaska, and nationwide. Call today for a free consultation with a maritime attorney: (253) 600-2531.
Learn More: What is a Maritime Lawyer? Explained