Types of Maritime Injury

Performing work at sea can be a dangerous adventure. Maritime related accidents can result in a multitude of injuries, including:

• Head trauma;
• Back injuries;
• Neck injuries;
• Shoulder injuries;
• Knee and leg injuries;
• Burns; and
• Wrongful death

In general, the Jones Act and other maritime laws such as the Longshoremen and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act give the maritime worker the right to recover damages to make up for most or all expenses incurred as a result of a maritime injury. This may include medical costs and potentially other expenses involved with factors such as your inability to work.

The lawyers at Raizner Slania understand the dangers of the occupation and have a proven track record representing injured maritime workers. Raizner Slania has the knowledge and experience to represent you whether an injury occurred while working on an oil rig, tugboat, barge, or onshore.

Head Trauma

When working on a ship, oil rig, or barge, head injuries can result from accidents attributable to negligence as well as blows to the head, falls, and numerous other causes. Some head and brain injuries are immediate and obvious. Many others are missed or incorrectly diagnosed by emergency room staff or company doctors, only to surface in the form of memory loss, speech or coordination difficulties, mood and personality changes, or other serious problems later on. It is important to seek proper medical attention immediately after you or a loved one is struck on the head to help prevent possible long-term effects.

The symptoms of severe head trauma include:

• Dizziness
• Loss of consciousness
• Headaches
• Loss of senses
• Balance problems

The lawyers at Raizner Slania have experience in pursuing claims based on the Jones Act related to work in the oil field and onboard vessels, as well as aviation accidents and international maritime claims. Recently, they were successful in obtaining an extremely favorable jury verdict on behalf of a supply ship captain injured when he was attacked by his crew off the African coast.

Head injuries can lead to frustration and feeling overwhelmed in dealing with medical costs, multiple examinations, paying for prescriptions, the prospect of lost wages, and possible long-term care arrangements. The lawyers at Raizner Slania can help you evaluate your claim and help to take some of the frustration out of the process. If you or a family member has suffered head trauma, contact Raizner Slania and let them put their maritime experience to work for you.

Back Injuries

Back injuries are one of the most common work-related injuries. These injuries can occur in the maritime work environment when workers fall from elevated positions, lift heavy loads, or trip over machinery. Back injuries may occur from one specific event or can result from repetitive heavy lifting performed by a seaman. If you injure your back while working for a maritime employer, it may be due to the negligence of the employer. Employers may be negligent if they do not provide the proper equipment, make work areas safe or follow proper procedures.

The Effects of Back Injuries

When faced with a back injury, it is important to seek the appropriate medical treatment as quickly as possible and to take care to prevent possible increased long-term damage. Severe back injuries can affect not only mobility and comfort in your back, but also may affect your neck or spinal cord and impact your overall quality of life. Common types of back injuries in seamen include:

• Muscle or nerve strain or sprain
• Nerve damage
• Fractured vertebrae
• Broken tailbone
• Herniated discs

Depending on the extent of damage, the victim of a back injury and their families could encounter crippling financial burdens as a result. Injured workers and their families will be faced with medical costs, lost compensation from missed work, and a possible need for long-term or specialized care.

Whether your injury has been diagnosed as a herniated or slipped disc, or spinal cord damage that has caused full or partial paralysis, we understand that you may be facing extreme pain, uncertainty and doubt about the future. Our strengths in maritime laws and Jones Act claims, and insurance bad faith cases may be directly relevant and critical for filing a claim to obtain monetary compensation for your back injury.

An Experienced Maritime Back Injury Lawyer

Raizner Slania has the knowledge and experience to help you and your loved ones obtain the compensation you deserve. If you or a loved one suffered a back injury while working for a maritime employer, contact the lawyers at Raizner Slania to evaluate your case today.

Burns

Burn injury cases are among the most painful, often involving multiple surgeries with painful skin grafts. In addition, recovery may require physical therapy or rehabilitative care for many months or even years, and scarring may be lifelong or create a need for costly reconstructive surgery.

Burn injuries are categorized into four potential degrees. First-degree burns only affect the epidermis, such as sunburn that turns the skin red. Second-degree burn injuries usually include blisters from deeper damage to the skin. The more serious and most painful burns include third-degree burns, which extend into the skin and ultimately destroy your nerve endings, and fourth degree burns, which can extend as deep as the muscles, tendons, and bones under the skin, leading to charring.

Even a seemingly minor burn can cause debilitating pain and other complications. Third and fourth degree burns include severe damage that carries a high potential for long-term disfigurement and other permanent issues.

Burns can occur in the maritime context when there is a refinery explosion, electrocutions, contact with hazardous chemicals, or other catastrophic events. Proper treatment and immediate care are key to effectively recovering from a burn accident. The lawyers at Raizner Slania have experience in handling a multitude of maritime personal injury cases, as well as insurance claims and burn cases involving oil field workers and families. If you have been burned while at sea or on shore, Raizner Slania can help you determine whether you are owed compensation and how to make that happen.

Wrongful Death

Maritime accidents can quickly turn catastrophic, resulting in long-term injury or loss of life. In addition to the tremendous emotional toll a fatal maritime accident takes, the financial impact for surviving family members is often extremely severe and devastating. If your family is grieving a loved one who lost his or her life on the job in a maritime occupation — whether aboard a vessel, in transport by helicopter, or in a longshore occupation, the lawyers at Raizner Slania can help you get through this difficult time.

Wrongful death suits can be filed against maritime employers when their employees are killed while performing their duties and the employer is responsible for causing or failing to prevent the fatal accident. The lawyers at Raizner Slania have the experience it takes to guide you and your family through this tough situation. We have experience in federal and maritime law which may be needed in filing your case, including the Death on the High Seas Act, specific wrongful death acts related to maritime that may vary by state, and litigation against U.S. and foreign companies for injuries and accidents occurring anywhere in the world.

In addition to the many critical differences in the laws applicable to fatal maritime accidents as opposed to those occurring on land, economic aspects of these cases can also be more challenging — due to both legal specifics and the often very substantial wages earned by people engaged in these high-risk jobs.

Our commitment to pursuing maritime cases originating on drilling rigs and various types of vessels is supported by our grasp of how calculations of lost wages must be made and presented. In other words, we know how to argue to obtain all your losses in your case. This can be especially critical in maritime cases where special laws apply to determine what types of damages may be recovered for a maritime family.

Other

Raizner Slania lawyers have been successful in a variety of maritime-related cases throughout the years. Whether your injury is one that is typically related to working at sea or something different, they can help you assess your case and pursue the compensation you deserve. Other injuries resulting from maritime work may include:

• Neck injuries
• Brain injuries
• Fractures
• Blindness
• Loss of limb

With experience in maritime and Jones Act claims, workers compensation litigation, insurance bad faith cases, and catastrophic personal injury law, our lawyers have the knowledge and skills to represent your needs.