When to Hire a Maritime Injury Lawyer

Determining when to hire a maritime injury lawyer can be a challenge. However, it is best to hire a New Orleans maritime lawyer as soon as possible. 

When you are injured, working with a knowledgeable and experienced attorney is a matter of protecting yourself, your rights, and your livelihood.

Types of Accidents a Maritime Injury Lawyer in New Orleans Can Handle 

One of the reasons injury victims may be unsure of when to hire a maritime injury lawyer is that they aren’t sure if their situation warrants it. Maritime injury cases generally fall into civil liability cases or workers’ compensation claims. Some examples of what this may look like include:

• You are a passenger on a vessel or guest on a property, and a negligent property owner or manager causes your injuries.
• You have been injured in an accident while working as a maritime professional, and the accident was not caused by employer negligence.
• You have been injured at work because your employer failed to provide safe working conditions.

After an accident, you may be confident that workers’ compensation will cover your medical care, only to learn that your employer or the insurance has denied your claim. 

As a passenger or guest, you may similarly find yourself trying to deal with the insurance company to negotiate a settlement amount for your injuries. A maritime attorney can provide support and help you with any of the above-mentioned situations, and they will often have a greater ability to help the sooner you call. 

Protect Yourself from the Beginning by Contacting a Maritime Injury Attorney as Soon as Possible

It doesn’t hurt to contact a lawyer when you have an accident immediately. There are important time limitations for injured maritime workers and guests that can affect how long you have to file a lawsuit or workers’ compensation claim.

If you don’t have an experienced maritime injury lawyer to help determine your legal options, you may waste valuable time and risk waiving your ability to recover fair and appropriate compensation. 

You may be able to retain an attorney at any point in your case, but the longer you engage without adequate representation, the more you leave yourself vulnerable to mistakes that may cause you to lose ground in your case.

In some cases, it may cost you your case altogether. Regardless of whether you are sure you need an attorney, there is no harm in contacting Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers to explore your options from the start.

What to do After a Maritime Injury

The immediate aftermath of a maritime accident or injury may be chaotic and disorienting whether you are an employee of the vessel or property you are on, utilizing services in the environment such as a ferry trip or visiting someone there. 

However, there are initial considerations before determining if it is time to hire a maritime injury lawyer:

• First, you should ensure the environment is safe, and any injuries or wounds are addressed and treated.
• Notify your employer if this happened on the clock or at your place of employment.
• If you are a visitor or bystander and not an employee, consider calling 911 to prompt a police response if they have not already arrived with EMS. This will trigger a police report that may be critical documentation of your case.
• Gather documentation of the scene, including pictures of the area and any injuries you may have.

When the situation is under control, and you have ensured your safety, it may be time to consult with an attorney. You may decide to meet with someone to determine the options for your situation, even if you do not immediately hire them.

An attorney may be able to help you through all stages of your maritime injury case, but they will likely have the most opportunities to intervene and help your case when you bring them on early. 

Maritime Law Can be Complicated in Practice

Maritime accidents are often handled with very different legislation to guide outcomes. Depending on the specific location of your accident, it may be unclear how to navigate your accident claim best. So, in what way does maritime law apply to accidents?

One of the first considerations of how maritime law may apply to your accident is whether the accident happened in a dock, on open waters, or on another kind of waterway. Next, your relationship with the vessel or other professional affiliates may affect your options for paying medical bills or other damages. 

Helpful Legislation 

Three primary pieces of legislation protect the rights of injured maritime workers. The law applicable to your accident or injury most often depends on your type of position, and an attorney will be best equipped to help you determine how your circumstances may affect the recovery of your losses.

These pieces of legislation include:

• The Jones Act: Applies to seamen and other similar positions working on a vessel in open-water
• Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act: Covers individuals excluded by the Jones Act. This helps ensure that dockworkers have remedies under maritime law
• Death on the High Seas Act: Provides recourse for survivors of certain workers killed in maritime work

Contact a Maritime Lawyer in New Orleans Today 

Recovering from an injury is hard enough without the added stress of a court case or conflict with your employer. Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers offers free case consultations to discuss your situation. Additionally, we don’t charge you for our services until we recover your compensation.

Don’t gamble with your medical or financial well-being by waiting until your situation feels extreme enough to hire a maritime injury lawyer. Take steps to protect yourself. Call us today.