Baton Rouge Maritime Lawyers

Baton Rouge, LA has a thriving economy, much of it centered on its local maritime industry. The Port of Greater Baton Rouge, the tenth largest in the U.S., is capable of accommodating large tankers and cargo carriers, making it a useful destination for many maritime companies. This isn’t an easy industry to make a living in, however. Maritime and offshore accidents happen all the time, as employees often have to contend with harsh workplace conditions that range from inclement weather to falling objects. It’s not a rare occurrence for workers to sustain a severe injury or contract a life-threatening illness in connection to their duties.

Seamen who have suffered an on-the-job injury or ailment should contact a maritime accident lawyer at their earliest opportunity, as it’s important to begin building a legal case without delay. They can find the legal assistance they need at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., one of the preeminent maritime law firms in the U.S. Our nationally based maritime personal injury lawyers handle a broad spectrum of cases and represent clients from all over the country, including Baton Rouge, LA.

Common Workplace Hazards in the Maritime Industry

Maritime workers spend their days around an alarming number of potential threats. They must know how to work in bad weather, around dangerous chemicals, on slippery surfaces, and among heavy mobile equipment. As a result, they can get injured in many ways; there is no one type of injury that characterizes maritime employment. Our maritime injury lawyers have experience with all types of maritime-related conditions, including:

• Amputation
• Spinal cord injuries
• Back injuries
• Pleural (lung) disorders
• Compartment Syndrome
• Skin burns
• Brain damage
• Hypothermia and frostbite

If you have suffered any type of injury, please contact one of our admiralty lawyers as soon as you are capable.

Obtaining Maintenance and Cure

What is maintenance and cure? It is a traditional type of compensation that virtually all injured seamen can collect, regardless of who is at fault for their medical condition. This compensation, paid out on a biweekly or weekly basis, actually consists of two distinct elements: maintenance (intended to cover living expenses) and cure (intended to cover medical-related expenses).

Because maintenance and cure does not require an investigation into the causes of the accident to determine guilt, it is supposed to be paid out automatically. In some cases, however, the injured party has trouble collecting the full amount of compensation. A maritime accident lawyer can fight for you and ensure that you get all the remuneration the law allows.

Other Maritime Compensation

Maritime employees who get injured on the job have further opportunities to obtain compensation if the incident was caused by an employer’s or co-worker’s negligence. There are multiple laws that are devoted to these kinds of personal injury cases, and you need an experienced maritime lawyer to help you determine the correct course of action.