Anyone who works in the Gulf of Mexico or other coastal waters faces the constant risk of offshore injury.
The waters of the gulf are home to myriad high-risk industries, ranging from maritime transport to offshore oil rigs. However, serious injuries can occur in any U.S. waterways.
If you or a loved one suffered an offshore injury, you are likely wondering about the potential value of your claim. The best way to determine how much your offshore injury case might be worth is to consult an offshore injury lawyer.
How Much Is My Case Worth? Can an Offshore Injury Lawyer Tell Me?
Because many factors affect the value of a claim, it is not possible to estimate the average value of an offshore injury.
However, if your injuries require extensive treatment, you need to know how you will pay your medical bills. If you can’t return to work, you deserve to know how you’re going to pay your bills and living expenses. If your family depends on your income to survive, you need someone who will fight for every dollar you deserve.
To determine what your case might be worth, talk to an experienced maritime injury attorney. Your attorney can evaluate the unique circumstances of your case and estimate how much you may be able to recover.
How Are Maritime Injury Claims Calculated?
Lawyers calculate the value of any personal injury, including those caused by offshore accidents, based on the actual damages or losses the victim has suffered. Most types of work-related injury claims are governed by state laws.
Job-related offshore injuries to seamen, however, fall under the federal statute known as the Jones Act. If you sustained injuries while working an offshore job, the Jones Act allows you to pursue damages such as:
- Lost wages,
- Medical care,
- Pain and suffering,
- Mental health treatment,
- Lost earning capacity,
- Vocational rehabilitation,
- Living expenses, and
- Future treatment and care.
In the case of a fatal offshore accident, the Jones Act provides relief for the victim’s family. Another federal law, the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA) also helps families hold negligent employers accountable for the loss of their loved one.
In some cases, the Death on the High Seas Act (DOSHA) provides a cause of action for the families of individuals killed as the result of another’s negligence. This is a claim that is available for individuals who do not qualify as a Jones Act seaman. In addition, there are several other general maritime law remedies available to individuals injured or killed while working offshore including a claim that the vessel was not in a seaworthy condition.
In addition, workers injured while working on offshore oil rigs can recover damages under a network of laws including the Jones Act, Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, and state law remedies. In short, having a knowledgeable maritime attorney in your corner is important due to the complex network of laws that apply to your case.
Do I Need an Offshore Injury Lawyer to Pursue Compensation?
Having a knowledgeable advocate can help you obtain justice for your injuries and recover the maximum possible compensation for your damages.
Because maritime laws are so complex, an offshore injury lawyer can determine the correct legal channels through which to pursue your case. If your injuries were not work-related—such as a cruise ship or passenger watercraft injury—your attorney can quickly determine the governing statutes for your case. Your attorney can also connect you with the resources you need to get through this horrific time in your life.
Talk to a Maritime Injury Lawyer Today
You don’t need to sit alone and wonder, “How much is my injury worth? You definitely don’t have to fight this battle alone.
What you need is help from an attorney who understands this complex area of the law. The maritime injury lawyers of Johns Law Group aren’t afraid to take on the largest employers or their insurance companies. We fight to get you every dollar you deserve for your injuries and other damages.
We provide a no-cost consultation and case review for maritime injury accident victims and their loved ones. Contact us now, so that our offshore injury lawyers can assist you in determining how much your case might be worth.
Jeremiah Johns is a former insurance defense attorney who now represents plaintiffs in bad faith insurance, catastrophic injury cases, and commercial disputes. He has a unique perspective from his experience representing some of the nation’s largest insurance companies.
Jeremiah is licensed to practice law in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and Georgia (though he is presently inactive in Georgia). He is also admitted to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. For his education, Jeremiah earned an LL.M. in Admiralty from Tulane University, a J.D., cum laude, from Syracuse University, and both a B.A. and B.S., magna cum laude, from Georgia State University.
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