Detroit Maritime Lawyers

Detroit, MI is famous for its automobile production, but the Motor City also hosts a busy maritime community. The 24-mile Detroit River, which runs through the U.S.-Canada border, facilitates a lot of shipping and trading activity. But it has to be said that maritime work isn’t an easy way to make a living. Employees are subjected to many kinds of threats while on the job, ranging from falling objects to harsh weather. It’s not uncommon for workers to suffer serious injury in connection with their duties.

There is some good news for maritime employees, though: The law is on their side when it comes to matters of financial compensation. Workers who have gotten hurt while carrying out their job duties may be eligible for a substantial payout. For optimal results, you need help from a maritime accident lawyer with years of experience in handling these claims. The nationally based Jones Act lawyers at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., serve maritime workers in Detroit, MI as well as the rest of the U.S.

The Hazards of Maritime Workplaces

In the maritime sector, injuries are not only common but quite varied. Employees are vulnerable to a very wide range of physical traumas, as well as a number of long-term illnesses that can be traced to poor workplace conditions. Our maritime personal injury lawyers have experience with many types of cases, including:

• Amputation of limbs
• Pleural (lung) disorders
• Spinal cord injuries
• Back injuries
• Compartment Syndrome
• Third-degree skin burns
• Brain damage
• Hypothermia and frostbite

Seamen who have gotten injured while performing their duties should contact a maritime injury lawyer as soon as reasonably possible. Our nationwide maritime accident lawyers have experience with victims of offshore accidents in the Detroit, MI area as well as other major ports across the country.

Overview of Maintenance and Cure

If you have been injured as a maritime employee, the easiest type of compensation to get is called maintenance and cure, which refers to two different payments. Maintenance is intended to pay for the injured person’s living expenses during their recovery. Cure is intended to pay for medical costs.

Maintenance and cure is paid out regardless of whether the injured worker bears any responsibility for their condition. However, employers sometimes do not pay the full amount that an employee should receive. Hiring a longshoremen attorney can help ensure that you get all the compensation you deserve.

Other Types of Maritime Law Cases

You have additional avenues to collect financial compensation if you can show that your injury or illness was caused by another party’s negligence. The law requires maritime employers to maintain a safe working environment, and failure to do so can lead to a large judgment or settlement. At Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., our admiralty lawyers have many years of experience with all types of maritime injury cases.