When your feet are on land, you can take a lot for granted. Then everything changes when you set foot on a boat or ship headed for trade waters. One of those changes is an employer's liability if you are injured or sickened on the job.
Dredge worker injured on board needed Jones Act protection
Barge crash could have resulted in admiralty law claims
Most workers who are in danger of being injured or sickened in the office know that workers' compensation laws in their state will help them recover. But what if you don't know what state you were in when you were injured? What if you weren't in a state at all?
Workers at sea have different workers' compensation laws
Have you known someone who took a full-time job just for the health benefits? Have you been that person? Some people aren't cut out for office work, but they take it so they can afford a trip to the doctor. Fortunately, when it comes to workers on the water, they have certain guarantees regardless of their employer.
When and where is admiralty law helpful?
You don't have to be miles out to sea to have the protection of admiralty law. The tradition of rules covering activities on ships and the water goes back thousands of years, but the modern versions are more than extensions of history. American admiralty law is there specifically to protect American workers with jobs that help keep the country's trade and transport moving.
How commercial fishing workers can stay safe during storm season
Just because it’s storm season doesn’t mean that work stops. You still rely on fishing to make a living despite the sometimes challenging weather conditions. High winds and heavy rains can create work hazards that make hauling in the big catch difficult if not impossible.
