A crew member was airlifted by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter after suffering injuries on a freighter last week. The worker was severely injured after being knocked down on the vessel, crew members on the 700-foot MV Caribbean reported to the Coast Guard.

The vessel was located about 50 miles off the coast of Trinidad, Calif., at the time of the incident. According to reports, the sea had been rough and the worker lost his balance, suffering a fall. A Coast Guard helicopter met the freighter offshore and airlifted the injured man to the Coast Guard station; he was taken to a California hospital from there.

Crew members on container ships, freighters and cargo vessels may qualify as seamen under the Jones Act law, which requires that a maritime worker be assigned to a vessel in navigation and that a significant portion of his time is dedicated to the function of that vessel.

If deemed a Jones Act seaman, a crew member must receive maintenance and cure payments for medical and household expenses after an injury. He or she may also file a Jones Act lawsuit if there are allegations of negligence against an employer or vessel owner.

The Maritime Act attorneys at Maintenance and Cure represent maritime workers who qualify as seamen, helping them recover compensation for injuries.