Accident Attorney » Maritime & Offshore Injury » Rights of Longshoremen

In extension to unloading and loading cargo through manual labor, a longshoreman must also be able to perform a mixture of responsibilities that differ in difficulty and include operating equipment, operating cranes and forklifts, loading heavy cargo, rigging up cargo, transferring loaded trailers, and much more. Longshoremen are also mentioned by some as stevedores and jobs of this type are focused on the west coast in the major port cities of San Diego, Los Angeles, and Long Beach.

The terminal areas where longshoremen work have many safety regulations in place that dictate the heavy-weight equipment used and the high traffic areas involved. Nevertheless, even with these safety regulations in place, the possibility of a serious accident is high. When a longshoreman is severely injured, it is necessary for a personal injury lawyer to be included as quickly as possible to conduct a thorough investigation of the accident and the facts. With trained legal help, you can more easily prove that your injury-causing accident qualifies for money under maritime law.

Longshoremen’s Rights Under Maritime Law

Most of the machinery used in a marine terminal requires a fair amount of skill and experience to operate safely and effectively. Due to the high potential for danger and injury, the National Maritime Safety Administration was formed to protect the rights of those working in the marine cargo handling industry in the United States. This administration works in conjunction with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to provide longshoremen and others in the marine cargo handling industry with information, counsel, access to health, and safety training resources.

The U.S. Department of Labor also designed the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) to give occupational-disease protection and employment-injury protection to people that serve as longshoremen on the navigable waters of the United States. The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) grants medical care, compensation, and benefits to survivors. To learn if you or your loved one qualify for coverage under the LHWCA or other maritime law, discuss your injury with a dedicated offshore injury lawyer at the Testa Law Group.

Maritime Injury Lawyer for LHWCA Claims

The proficient lawyers at the Testa Law Group will take the necessary steps to defend your legal rights, starting with a free consultation to better understand your injuries and your situation. After we completely understand the circumstances and facts that led to your injury, we will apply our knowledge with LHWCA claims and other maritime laws to help you obtain money for your injuries. We recognize the physical and emotional trauma that is connected with offshore injuries, and we are dedicated to supporting you recover to the absolute extent possible.

The LHWCA does not demand that a worker’s employer is unearthed as at fault for the worker’s injury. We have helped many of injured longshoremen collect disability payments, medical payments, wrongful death benefits for survivors, future costs for vocational rehabilitation, and much more. The maritime lawyers at the Testa Law Group truly care about the future of our injured offshore clients, and we are dedicated and determined in seeing that our clients are happy, which is why we give each case personalized dedication and tactical attention. Contact us quickly after your injuries so that we can file your injury claim before it’s too late seeing as how under the LHWCA, an injured employee has only 30 days after suffering an injury or illness to notify the employer. To understand your rights as a longshoreman and ask how we can assist you and your family on your road to recovery, please call (877) 780-9052 to schedule a free complimentary consultation with an experienced maritime injury lawyer.


About The Author

Mr. Testa a Personal Injury Lawyer with a national practice who represents members of our society who have been seriously injured or killed due to the irresponsible acts of an individual or company. He is licensed to practice law in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida and admitted to practice in the Southern District of Texas and also in the United States Court of International Trade.