What Damages Are Available in a Maritime Injury Case?

A maritime injury case may allow you to secure damages for your medical bills, lost pay, mental anguish, pain, and suffering. The precise compensation available will depend on your situation. Not everyone receives the same payments through a claim. 

You can learn more about the money available to you with help from a New Orleans maritime injury lawyer. An attorney can also explain the legal process behind filing a maritime injury claim and help you build your case.

Damages Available in a Maritime Injury Case in Louisiana

Filing a maritime injury claim after an accident while working on a ship or another vessel may allow you to secure compensation for any losses you sustained. A New Orleans Jones Act lawyer may help you get money to pay for your:

Current and Future Medical Expenses

You may sustain catastrophic injuries in a maritime accident. Many seamen need emergency medical care for cuts, broken bones, concussions, and the effects of near drowning. Filing a maritime injury claim can allow you to secure funds for:

• Time in an emergency room or the ICU
• Medical diagnostic tests
• Medical procedures, including surgeries
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation appointments
• Medications (including prescription drugs)

An attorney can track these losses on your behalf. 

Lost Pay

The party responsible for your maritime injury may need to cover any wages you lost while recovering. You may receive additional compensation if your injuries prevent you from going back to work. In this case, you could get money for your reduced earning potential. 

Pain and Mental Suffering

Finally, some maritime injury cases allow individuals to secure compensation for their non–economic damages. The liable party may need to pay for the emotional suffering, pain, and mental anguish you experience due to your injuries.

You can talk to a lawyer to learn more about the damages available in a maritime injury case.

How Much Compensation Will You Get for a Maritime Injury?

The total compensation available in your case will depend on factors like the extent of your injuries and the amount of time you need off work. An attorney will review your circumstances and add up all of your losses to include them in your claim. 

Reporting the accident immediately and seeking medical treatment as soon as possible can improve your chances of getting maximum compensation. 

Taking these steps can establish that an accident on your vessel caused your injuries and financial losses. Getting fast medical care also demonstrates the extent of your injuries and makes it easier for a lawyer to build a claim on your behalf. 

How do You Get Damages After a Maritime Injury?

Securing compensation after a maritime injury may require you to file a claim under the Jones Act. The Jones Act offers protection to individuals working as seamen, providing legal options to get the money they need to cover their losses.

An attorney can collect evidence, track your losses, and file this claim on your behalf. Your lawyer may need to establish that you were working on a vessel at the time of the incident by getting a copy of the accident report and speaking to your co-workers. 

You can contact a personal injury law firm to learn how to file a maritime injury lawsuit and to ask what damages are available in a maritime injury case. 

You Have Limited Time to Get Compensation After a Maritime Injury

The Jones Act typically gives injured maritime workers three years to make a claim for compensation. If you wait too long to begin the legal process, you lose your chance to secure any damages for your losses.

Fortunately, you can reach out to an attorney for help immediately after an accident. A lawyer can help you determine if you qualify for compensation, record all the losses you sustained, and keep your claim moving through the legal system. 

Can You Get Damages After a Deadly Maritime Accident?

The Death on the High Seas Act may allow your family to get damages for the loss of a loved one. An attorney can provide more information about this legal process, which could give your family the funds to pay for:

• A loved one’s funeral and burial expenses
• Loss of financial support
• Counseling appointments 

This act may also cover additional financial losses experienced by your family as a result of the loss of a loved one. The Death on the High Seas Act functions like the Jones Act in many ways but provides additional protections to passengers on a vessel. 

Talk to Us About Your Maritime Injury Case

Our team at Scott Vicknair Law can explain what damages are available in a maritime injury case. We have over three decades of combined experience helping injured clients like you. We can review your options and answer any questions you have after an accident. 

You can reach out today by calling or filling out our online contact form.