MARITIME INJURY ATTORNEYS IN TYLER

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TEXAS MARITIME ACCIDENT LAWYERS

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Maritime employees, such as drillers, sailors, and riggers, work in some of the most dangerous workplaces in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), offshore oil rig workers have a fatality rate seven times the national average. Similarly, workers in port operations and marine terminals have a fatality rate that is five times above the average.

Read on to learn why maritime work is dangerous, why safety is important at sea, and what laws protect maritime workers. We’ll also cover how an experienced Tyler, Texas maritime lawyer can help you if you or a loved one have been injured or killed by a maritime occupational accident.

Crane inspector on the job inspect crane operation system

Container ship business freight import export logistic

A commercial abseiler complete with personal protective equipment

Why Is Maritime Work Dangerous?

Offshore rigs and ships are risky places to work because of their proximity to the sea. As such, employers of maritime workers have a heightened responsibility to keep workers as safe as possible by maintaining proper safety standards. If an employer’s negligence creates an unsafe work environment, employees can hold them accountable for any injuries or deaths resulting from that oversight.

Employer negligence can cause the following injury-causing incidents, some of which may be fatal:

The Importance of Safety at Sea

Because sailing comes with so many risks, ship owners are required to upload certain safety standards to ensure the safety of employees. Specifically, maritime law requires them to maintain three critical aspects of the ship:

What Laws Protect Maritime Workers?

Fortunately, the U.S. court system has passed several laws to provide maritime workers and their families compensation for death or injury while on the job. The most important maritime laws are:

General Maritime Law

The Jones Act

Longshore & Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA)

Death on the High Seas Act

General Maritime Law

The courts have established that ship owners must provide for their employees if they become sick or injured during the voyage. Called ” maintenance and cure,” this provision provides compensation for the worker until their full recovery. However, there are limitations to this, since ship owners can’t provide treatment for an unlimited period of time. As such, most ship owners will pay a maintenance rate between $30 to $45 a day. Alternatively, they may choose which medical treatments to cover.

The Jones Act

Also known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, the Jones Act gives seamen the right to sue their employer when injured at work. It has a “featherweight” or extremely light burden of proof, making it easy for sea workers to get the compensation they deserve. Note that only seamen are covered by the Jones Act. The Jones Act defines a seaman as someone who works on a boat or ship as a crew member or captain. The Act requires employers to give seamen a safe work environment and maintain the vessel in a reasonably safe condition. As such, this law is extremely useful when a seaman sustains life-changing catastrophic injuries, such as:

Amputation
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
Paralysis
Burns
Spinal cord injuries
Internal organ damage

If you have suffered such injuries, a Tyler, Texas Jones Act attorney can help you recover medical care, lost wages, and other expenses. The right maritime law attorney will also help you get compensation for the cost of future medical care, the lost or reduced ability to work, and pain and suffering resulting from the accident.

Longshore & Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA)

If you’re not a seaman, you can seek workplace injury claims under The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA).

This Act pays benefits to injured maritime workers who have temporary or permanent total or partial disabilities. The benefits cover all necessary and reasonable medical treatments, a portion of lost wages, and travel expenses for receiving those medical treatments. The Act also provides free job retraining if the worker can’t return to maritime employment after their injury.

Additionally, the LHWCA provides compensation for the surviving spouses of maritime workers who died of work-related injuries.

Death on the High Seas Act

You can also seek compensation through the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA) if you believe that a loved one’s death was caused by neglect or a wrongful act while at sea. To sue, the accident or incident that caused the death must have occurred beyond three miles from the shore of the U.S. Deaths that happened within three miles of shore are covered by the Jones Act, state law, or general maritime wrongful death provisions. Unlike most wrongful death and survival provisions, DOHSA only provides for pecuniary loss. Pecuniary losses are losses that you can easily calculate, usually by producing a bill or receipt to show that you’ve paid an expense. A typical example would be the loss of financial support from the deceased.

Partner With an Experienced Tyler, Texas Maritime Accident Attorney

Maritime accidents can cause life-altering catastrophic injuries such as amputations, burns, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and even death.

If you or a loved one have suffered injuries or death as a result of a maritime accident, reach out to our Tyler maritime law attorneys. We at Morris & Dewett have over 20 years of experience fighting for victims of workplace accidents. Known throughout Texas and Louisiana for personalized counsel, we know what it takes to win the toughest maritime injury cases and secure maximum damages inside and outside the courtroom.

Interested in experiencing the Morris & Dewett difference? Email us or call (318) 221-1508 for a free consultation. We’re available 24/7 for confidential consultations and advice. What’s more, you don’t pay if you don’t win.

Compare Our Results

$409

Million

Wrongful Death Caused By An Impaired Driver In A Commercial Vehicle

$49

Million

Motor Vehicle Accident Involving An Impaired Driver Resulting In Serious Injury

$31.5

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oil field safety violation resulting in severe spinal & brain injury

$12.1

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A commercial vehicle ran a red light causing a collision resulting in serious injury

$7

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rear end car collision leading to severe injury

$7

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HVAC safety violation resulting in electrocution

$4

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Vehicle Safety violation resulting in severe neck & back injury

$3.15

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18 Wheeler Accident Caused A Wrongful Death

$3

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$2.9

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a rear-end collision sent client over guardrail resulting in major injury

$2.75

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18 Wheeler lost load on highway resulting in accident causing serious bodily injury

$2.5

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commercial vehicle accident

$2.45

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18 wheeler failed to stop caused accident resulting in brain injury

$2.2

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Neck & Back injury from a multi-vehicle wreck

$2.17

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aggressive driving caused a motor vehicle accident

$2.1

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18 Wheeler reversed into client

$2

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18 Wheeler trailor swung into client causing serious injury

$2

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18 Wheeler improper lane merge caused a serious accident

$2

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18 Wheeler collision caused severe neck and back injuries

$1.98

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injuries sustained by a multi-vehicle wreck caused by poor driving

$1.93

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motor vehicle accident caused by a motorist running a red light

$1.86

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sexual abuse violation

$1.78

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multi-vehicle rear end collision

$1.75

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driving safety violation resulting in neck and back injuries

$1.75

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motor vehicle accident causing back and brain injury

$1.69

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18 wheeler collision caused a wrongful death

$1.65

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erratic driver caused severe accident by crossing over lanes

$1.62

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A premises liability case with spinal injury

$1.6

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back injury resulting from a motor vehicle accident

$1.5

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wrongful death resulting from rear-end auto accident

$1.5

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wrongful death resulting from a motorcycle accident

$1.495

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commercial vehicle collision

$1.49

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rear-end motor vehicle collision

$1.45

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commercial vehicle accident with a cement truck

$1.425

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sexual abuse violation

$1.4

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commercial vehicle caused a T-Bone collision

$1.39

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rear-end collision caused neck and back injuries

$1.38

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commercial vehicle rear-ended client resulting in spinal injury

$1.36

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18 wheeler rear-ended client causing severe injury

$1.3

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commercial vehicle spilled hydraulic fluid in highway lead to multi-vehicle accident

$1.25

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commercial vehicle ran a read light causing a collision

$1.25

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commercial vehicle spilled hydraulic fluid in highway lead to multi-vehicle accident

$1.25

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Commercial vehicle rear-ended client

$1.25

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Commercial vehicle rear-ended caused multi-vehicle accident

$1.25

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driver safety violation resulted in serious neck injury

$1.25

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Motor vehicle accident caused by driver crossing over lanes into oncoming traffic

$1.22

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a T-Bone motor vehicle collision caused client vehicle to flip and roll

$1.21

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18 wheeler ran a stop sign causing a serious motor vehicle accident

$1.20

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a rear-end motor vehicle accident resulting in serious injury

$1.20

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18 wheeler lost load on highway resulting in serious injury

$1.15

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18 wheeler caused serious accident

$1.12

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a rear-end collision vehicle accident

$1.1

Million

a rear-end collision vehicle accident

$1.1

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motor vehicle accident caused by illegal passing

$1.03

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medical malpractice causing serious leg injury

$1.03

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Commercial Vehicle lost control of trailer resulting in serious back and neck injury

$1

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Crane operator was struck by a falling pole

$1

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T-Bone motor vehicle accident

$1

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A commercial vehicle failed to yield causing a severe accident

$1

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product failure resulted in leg injury

$1

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Failure to use lighting on an 18-wheeler log truck caused a serious accident

$1

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wrongful death caused by an 18 wheeler accident

$1

Million

motor vehicle accident caused by a failure to yield

$999

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motor vehicle accident caused by a rear-end collision

$985

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commercial vehicle in reverse collided with client

$980

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failure to yield resulted in a serious motor vehicle accident

$978

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motor vehicle accident caused by a failure to yield

$975

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18 wheeler caused a rollover accident

$960

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18 wheeler rear ended client

$952

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driving safety violation resulting in serious injury

$950

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commercial vehicle rear-ended client while at a complete stop

$950

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client vehicle rear-ended at high speed

$950

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motor vehicle accident resulted in severe neck injury

$935

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commercial vehicle accident

$925

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tow truck failed to secure load resulting in severe injury

$925

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18 wheeler failed to yield at an intersection

$910

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motor vehicle accident caused by a rear end collision

$900

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a rear end collision caused by a failure to stop at a sign

$900

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a T-Bone collisions resulted in a multi-vehicle accident

$900

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commercial vehicle accident

$900

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a head-on auto collision

$900

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a motor vehicle accident resulting in serious injury

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Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers

5.0

Lawrence Pierre S.

Always have been a top notched firm. If ever in need of a accident attorney, this is the one to use.

Yamileth L.

Jessica has been great helping throughout our whole process at Morris & Dewett! She has been great with communication and making everything so easy!

Luke D.

Great experience. Highly recommend. They made the whole process very easy. Settlement came faster then expected.

Janiya L.

Everything went well they were amazing very helpful i recommend them

Hannah M.

great firm

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