Houston Offshore and Maritime Injury Lawyer
When you’ve been seriously injured while working at sea on an Oil Rig, Ship, Tug Boat, or other vessels? The Jones Act and General Maritime law provide strong protections for injured seamen and their families. The personal injury attorneys at Fleming Law are your advocates for helping you navigate your rights under Maritime Law.
We ensure that you will receive just compensation to fully recover after being injured on an oil rig or vessel at sea, whether working or as a passenger hurt while on a boat or cruise ship.
Seamen and maritime workers are at a higher risk of serious injury due to challenging working conditions. If you work near or on the sea and were injured while on the job, your case falls under a different set of laws than land-based on-the-job injuries. This difference can make the process of filing a work injury claim confusing and frustrating. However, a trial-tested and experienced personal injury lawyer can lift your burdens.
Rely on our extensive knowledge of maritime law and years of experience to guide you through the litigation process and help you get back on your feet again.
Contact the Houston, Texas maritime injury trial attorneys at Fleming Law. A statute of limitations may apply in some instances, so we advise you to act promptly.
What Counts as an Offshore Injury?
An offshore injury refers to any number of personal injuries and accidents that can happen to maritime employees while at sea, within inland waterways, or near coastal waters. Seamen, longshoremen, and harbor workers all face dangerous working conditions on a daily basis that may end in catastrophic accidents. The most common offshore injuries include:
The Port of Houston is one of the busiest ports in the United States.
- Slips, trips, and falls
- Struck by moving objects
- Injuries from carrying, handling, or lifting
- Falls from heights
Who Will Pay My Medical Care and Recovery Costs?
An injury at sea almost always requires emergency medical treatment, followed by possible surgical repair, and months of rehabilitation or physical therapy.
Taking proper steps to file an offshore injury claim will expedite this process and ensure that you receive the money you need to cover your medical costs and recovery plan.
As longtime maritime lawyers and offshore injury attorneys, we move fast to file a proper offshore injury claim and help you gain the maximum compensation for your injuries and time off of work.
Types of Offshore Injury Cases our Maritime Lawyers Handle
We handle all types of maritime law cases, including:
Injured on an Oil Rig
Do you or someone you love work in the oil and gas extraction industry? Oil rig workers face some of the most dangerous working conditions of any profession. A day at the office out at sea involves working with large, heavy machinery, challenging surfaces (wet or greasy decks, no handrails, weather hazards) long hours, and little sleep.
If you’ve been involved in an oil spill injury while on the job on an oil rig or platform, we can help. Our offshore injury lawyers specialize in cases involving oil rig accidents and can make sure that you receive workers’ compensation and the benefits you deserve.
Injured on a Vessel at Sea
Whether you were working at sea or a vacationer on a cruise ship, an offshore accident on a vessel can turn an ordinary day into a nightmare. Accidents can happen on all types of sea vessels, from charter boats and dive boats to tankers and cruise ships. Some common offshore accidents on vessels include chemical burns, diving incidents, fishing accidents, slips, falls, and being hit by falling objects.
Our firm handles maritime accident cases for seamen injured on a sea vessel. Most on-the-job maritime accidents qualify for maintenance and cure benefits, while injuries that occur due to employer negligence fall under The Jones Act. Read more about our Jones Act lawyers here.
Injured as a Longshoreman
If you were injured on the job as a longshoreman, harbor construction worker, or shipbuilder, you’re entitled to compensation for medical bills, recovery, and lost wages under The Longshore Harbor and Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA). Maritime workers who work on or near piers, wharves, or docks often get hurt or injured because of cargo handling issues, unsafe surfaces, faulty safety gear, and poor equipment.
Regardless of the type of injury, we can help. We will identify the laws that pertain to your claim and fight to receive the full compensation that belongs to you.
Houston, Texas lawyers at Fleming Law handle offshore injury and death cases that fall under the following maritime laws:
The Jones Act
A U.S. federal law, The Jones Act covers seamen who have been injured on the job due to employer negligence. This law makes it possible for injured seamen (and families of killed seamen) to receive compensation for medical costs, future medical expenses, mental anguish, and lost wages. Contact our maritime injury lawyer today.
The General Maritime Law
Also called the Admiralty Law, the General Maritime Law is a group of laws that protect maritime employees as well as passengers of ships and recreational boaters. This common law makes it possible for injured seamen to obtain maintenance and cure from their employer.
Maintenance and Cure
Part of the General Maritime Law, maintenance and cure refers to the compensation an injured seaman is entitled to for daily living expenses (maintenance) and medical bills (cure) while recovering from an injury. Maintenance and cure must be paid by the employer until the maritime employee can go back to work or has reached maximum medical improvement.
Longshore & Harbor Workers Compensation Act
The LHWCA covers maritime workers, dock workers, and other longshoremen injured on the job who are not covered under The Jones Act. The act provides medical and disability compensation for injured maritime workers even if the accident was not due to employee negligence.
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
Maritime employees who are injured on the job while working on the outer continental shelf are entitled to compensation under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA). This law basically extends the Jones Act to include offshore structures such as oil rigs, wind turbines, floating drydocks, and artificial islands. It provides temporary benefits for medical treatment, injured body parts, and a percentage of lost wages.
Death on the High Seas Act
This admiralty law is for family members of seamen killed in wrongful death incidents or while working at sea in international waters. The Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA) also covers airplane crashes over the ocean that occurs beyond U.S. territorial waters.
Why Should I Call an Experienced Jones Act Lawyer Today?
You can depend on our legal team because:
We want to hear your story. Before we can come up with the proper strategy, we will give you all the time you need to fully explain your case and injuries. Armed with information and evidence, we can file the proper claim and better support you through this difficult time of litigation and healing.
We are maritime law specialists. We are maritime law specialists in Texas. Whether your offshore injury falls under The Jones Act, Death on the High Seas Act, or maintenance and cure, the law is on your side when you choose Fleming Law.
Contact Fleming Law For a Free Consultation Today
While we are based in Houston, Texas, we can handle help with any offshore injury claimant in any state. Our knowledge of the law along with our experience in maritime injury cases makes us uniquely qualified to handle your offshore injury case. We can identify the laws that apply to your case and help you receive the compensation you deserve to recover from your injuries and return to your normal life. Contact our offshore injury lawyer today.
If you or a loved one has been injured due to an unfortunate incident on a ship, boat, barge, or other seagoing vessels, contact us today. We help seamen who have been injured in the Houston area, Galveston area, and anywhere in Texas or the Gulf of Mexico. Our Injury and wrongful death lawyers are ready to hear from you right now.
If you or your business has been damaged by recent oil spill disasters or offshore incidents, call Fleming Law today at 737-201-0543 to discuss potential claims.
