Georgia Maritime Accident Attorneys
We Win Big Verdicts for Maritime Accident Victims in Georgia
American prosperity is heavily dependent on maritime commerce. Our country owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to the men and women who work in shipping, long shoring, and other maritime industries.
Georgia is home to a considerable amount of maritime activity with several major waterways, including the Chattahoochee River, Flint River, and Savannah River, deepwater ports in Savannah and Brunswick, and over 110 miles of coastline.
People who are employed in onshore and offshore maritime industries do demanding and dangerous work. It’s crucial for employers to provide a safe environment by eliminating hazards. When companies fail to protect their workers, Butler Prather LLP has your back. In fact, we’ve been helping workers in Georgia for over 35 years.
Butler Prather LLP has won large settlements and verdicts for clients in over 30 states. We’ve won nine verdicts that exceed $100 million and over 60 verdicts and settlements of over $10 million.
Call (706) 322-1990 to schedule a complimentary consultation today.
How Admiralty and Maritime Law Affect Accident Compensation
Admiralty and maritime law are a set of rules and regulations that cover shipping, boating, recreation, and commerce on oceans, harbors, lakes, rivers, canals, and other bodies of water. Under the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, the federal government has jurisdiction over tidal waters and any waters within the United States or in foreign countries.
People working in maritime industries who suffer injuries resulting from or arising out of their employment are often eligible for benefits and compensation that fall outside of regular workers’ compensation insurance. This includes seamen covered by the Jones Act and longshore and harbor workers who are covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA).
How the Jones Act Protects Injured Seamen
The Jones Act can be found in Section 27 of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. Unlike workers’ compensation laws administered by individual states, the Jones Act allows seamen and their survivors to bring an action against employers for acts of negligence. A worker is considered to be a seaman under the Jones Act if they have a substantial connection to a vessel or a fleet of vessels and their labor contributes to the attainment of the ship’s mission.
Even when there’s no negligence involved, injured seamen are automatically entitled to receive maintenance and cure until the seaman reaches maximum medical improvement. Maintenance is the seaman’s right to day-to-day living expenses, and cure is the right to medical costs.
Seamen are eligible to seek damages for injuries caused by any degree of negligence by an employer or another seaman. Ship owners are also liable for injuries caused by vessels that are not seaworthy. To be deemed seaworthy, a vessel must be suitable for all aspects of a voyage that are performed or intended to be performed.
Unsafe conditions that cause injuries covered by the Jones Act include:
- Unseaworthiness
- Inadequate training
- Lack of supervision
- Failure to detect and repair hazards
- Poorly maintained equipment
- Unsafe operation
- Faulty equipment
- Cluttered walkways
- Slippery surfaces
- Broken ladders
- Toxic exposure
- Inadequate security
- Fall hazards
- Inadequate safety devices
- Lack of life-saving equipment
- Failure to provide a non-skid surface on large objects
Compensation for Injured Longshore and Harbor Workers
The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) provides federal benefits to maritime workers who work near or on navigable waters of the United States. Areas related to the water include harbors, dry docks, piers, wharves, bridges, shipyards and shipping terminals, and other locations.
The LHWCA covers jobs that involve loading, unloading, building, and repairing water vessels, including:
- Longshore workers
- Stevedores
- Shipbuilders
- Ship repairers
- Shipbreakers
- Harbor railway workers
- Harbor construction workers
Third-Party Lawsuits for Maritime Injuries
If you were injured due to an accident or unsafe conditions while working at sea or in a maritime-related activity, you may be eligible to receive additional compensation beyond the benefits available under the Jones Act, the LHWCA, or workers’ compensation. Your Georgia personal injury attorney will pursue damages against any third party whose negligence contributed to your injuries. This may include:
- Independent contractors
- Careless drivers
- Manufacturers of faulty equipment
- Equipment vendors
- Maintenance and repair companies
Accidents That Cause Maritime Injuries
Maritime injuries may occur on land or while you’re working on a ship, dive boat, oil platform, barge, tugboat, or any other type of seafaring vessel. There are a lot of ways that maritime injuries can happen, including:
- Vessel collisions
- Slip-and-fall accidents
- Fires
- Explosions
- Toxic exposure
- Power equipment accidents
- Crane accidents
- Vehicle crashes
- Construction falls
- Conveyor belt accidents
- Falling equipment and materials
Injuries Caused by Maritime Accidents
Victims of maritime accidents suffer severe injuries that cause chronic pain and disabilities. You may be facing a long recovery period, and your injuries could prevent you from resuming your career. Frequent maritime accident injuries include:
- Severe burns
- Pulmonary disorders
- Loss of limb
- Lacerations
- Organ failure
- Bone fractures
- Nerve damage
- Bursitis
- Chemical burns
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Back and neck injuries
- Broken hips
- Shoulder injuries
How Your Georgia Maritime Accident Lawyer Can Help
If you were injured in a maritime accident, contact Butler Prather LLP right away, and we will advise you on the best course of action. Our experienced trial lawyers will take the following steps to help you attain maximum compensation for your injuries:
- Collect evidence
- Interview witnesses
- Review safety protocols
- Consult with expert witnesses
- File a claim on your behalf
- Negotiate a settlement
If the other side refuses to make a reasonable offer, Butler Prather LLP is always prepared to take them to court.
We’ve Recovered Over $1 Billion for Our Clients
At Butler Prather LLP, we don’t allow anything to prevent us from seeking justice for our clients. Our firm has won record-breaking verdicts and judgments against government agencies and large corporations.
We always have time to speak with our clients, and we will keep you informed about the progress we are making on your case.
Contact us today at (706) 322-1990 to explore your legal options with a free consultation.