Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act

If you were injured onshore while unloading a container ship, working in a shipyard or on a dock or in a maritime-related occupation, you may qualify for compensation and medical care under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. 

The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act is a federal law that provides money and medical care to workers who are disabled by on-the-job injuries that occur on navigable waters of the United States or adjoining areas such as shipyards, loading docks or harbors. The law covers maritime workers in traditional maritime occupations other than seamen, including longshore workers, ship-repairers, shipbuilders, shipbreakers, and harbor construction workers not covered by the Jones Act.

The Longshore Act attorneys at Parker Waichman Alonso LLP have experience in helping injured maritime workers obtain the compensation they need to overcome a disability and secure their future. We handle 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.

The intent of the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act  — often called the Longshore Act or LHWCA — is to minimize the impact that maritime injuries and deaths have on workers and their families. The act fills a gap that exists between the Jones Act, which protects seamen, and state workers’ compensation laws, which cover injuries in a particular state but not typically on navigable waters.

The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act allows an injured worker to sue a person or entity at fault for the injuries. For example, if a worker is injured on a vessel, he or she may bring a claim of negligence against the vessel and its owner. The injury may include hearing loss or occupational diseases that occur as a result of maritime employment. The family of a maritime worker killed on the job may be entitled to receive wrongful death benefits.

Congress extended the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act to apply to several other groups of workers. They include:

• Workers on the continental shelf of the United State, such as those on off-shore oil rigs and those doing exploratory drilling for natural resources;
• Persons employed at overseas military bases, and employees of U.S. government contractors working outside the U.S. on public works projects or military operations. U.S. government employees are not included.
  
  

Time is of the essence in making Longshore Act claims, so don’t delay. Strict filing deadlines are in place so contact our office promptly to discuss your case. Maritime law is a complex area of law, and you need an experienced Longshore Act attorney to represent you and help you obtain the money you and your family need. The attorneys at Parker Waichman Alonso LLP have been helped maritime injury victims for more than two decades -- and  we can help you. Please fill out our online form or call 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636) for help with your case.