One day in April last year, due to high gusting winds, the cruise ship Carnival Triumph came loose from its moorings and collided with the moored dredge vessel Wheeler. Another vessel actually became pinned between the two larger ships, as well. All in all, the accident ended in the death of one shipyard employee and the injury of another.
In this case, the injured worker and the family of the deceased worker undoubtedly sought counsel from a personal injury lawyer. If they wanted to get the proper representation, though, they would need to call upon a maritime injury attorney.
Maritime law differs from normal worker’s compensation law, as there are additional risks involved in maritime shipping, fishing, and other businesses. This applies to dock workers, as well. The Jones Act was instituted to protect American maritime workers from international competition and from losses and injuries due to negligence or poor management.
One of the reasons for employing a maritime injury attorney, like the ones at Kirkendall Dwyer LLP, is to ensure that you get the most compensation allowable through maritime law. If an international vessel was involved in the accident, a maritime injury attorney would be better equipped to keep you informed of all of your rights and the best means to get compensation for injuries and pain and suffering.
Accidents happen, and sometimes no one is at fault, but your employer’s insurance company should cover injuries that occur on the job if an accident occurred through no fault of your own. They should also cover pain and suffering costs for families who lose a loved one in an accident, as in the case of the dockworker who died in the Carnival Triumph mooring failure. Call the right attorney for the job and learn about your rights and options.
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