Whether working on a vessel as a crewmember or seaside as a longshoreman, maritime workers frequently risk having their hands and feet crushed, severed, broken or otherwise injured. A worker’s hand or foot can become entangled in a moving line or caught in equipment. It can also be crushed between a vessel and a dock or by falling objects. Severe hand and foot injuries may result in permanent damage or require amputation.
If you sustain a hand or foot injury on a vessel, in a shipyard, or on a dock or pier, a maritime attorney can help you seek damages. Depending on the particular circumstances of your case, you may be entitled to compensation for past and future:
- Medical expenses, including future prosthesis and care
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Physical disfigurement
It is important to work with a qualified maritime attorney, because you will have to prove the injury was not your fault and was caused by negligence or an unseaworthy condition, such as:
- Defective equipment
- Missing or improper guard on equipment
- Missing or inadequate safety equipment on a vessel
- Inadequate training regarding equipment or line handling
- Improper handling of equipment by another party
Maritime law differs from general personal injury law. As such, if you were injured while working dockside or at sea, you need an attorney dedicated to maritime litigation who has the knowledge and experience to pursue claims under the Jones Act, Longshore Act and general maritime law.
Is a hand or foot injury keeping you out of work? Contact a Boston maritime attorney today.
Latti Associates LLC – Boston maritime trial lawyers