Admiralty Accidents

Working on the high seas is a dangerous occupation and thousands of accidents occur each year. Injuries that occur at sea are known as admiralty accidents. What’s an example of an admiralty accident? If a serious accident involving a boat, barge or even a jet ski occurs on navigable waters of the United States (as opposed to a land-locked lake), then admiralty law applies.

If you are a seaman, sailor, longshoreman or dock worker who has been injured in a boating or shipping accident, you may be entitled to money to help you and your family recover.

Parker Waichman Alonso LLP has been successfully assisting victims of maritime injuries and accidents for more than 20 years. Our aim is to help you recover from an injury so you and your family can move on with your lives. We handle admiralty and maritime law claims from port cities along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, including  New York, Philadelphia, Wilmington DE, Baltimore, Norfolk, Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville FL, Fort Lauderdale FL and Miami. Please fill out our online form or call 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636) for help with your case.

Admiralty accidents are part of a larger body of admiralty law cases that include maritime contracts, alleged violations of rules of the sea over shipping lanes, mutiny and other crimes aboard ships.

United States courts have jurisdiction over cases of admiralty accidents and injuries and other matters involving admiralty law. The writers of the U.S. Constitution gave the federal courts jurisdiction over maritime and admiralty cases because of the important role that shipping and international trade played for our new nation.

Admiralty law differs from many other areas of law in that there is no right to a jury trial. Generally, a judge rather than a jury hears admiralty law cases. Sometimes state laws or international treaties can also apply, depending on where the accident occurred. A seasoned attorney can best determine whether to pursue a claim under admiralty law or maritime law.

There are three primary admiralty laws that apply to maritime workers in the United States and address accidents and injuries at sea:

• The Jones Act
• The Death on the High Seas Act
• The Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act
  
  

These laws cover a wide variety of maritime occupations, including longshore workers, ship-repairers, shipbuilders or ship-breakers and harbor construction workers. Each set of laws contains rules for recovering damages, collecting benefits and assigning liability for negligence. The laws prescribe different compensation for different workers based on injury, disability or death.

People who work on many types of vessels qualify for the same rights and protections as traditional sailors. Workers on tankers, freighters, fishing boats, jack-up rigs, barges, tow boats, and off-shore oil rigs may qualify as seamen. Admiralty law is a complex area of law, and there are statutes of limitations on filing claims. You need an experienced admiralty law attorney to help you chart your best course of action. The attorneys at Parker Waichman Alonso LLP can help you obtain the money that you need after a serious accident. We represent admiralty accident victims along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard and will aggressively pursue your case. Please fill out our online form or call 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636) for help with your case.