Maritime accidents can happen at anytime. No matter how careful you are, or how many safety measures are put into place, sometimes things go wrong. But when you get injured at sea, you need special legal representation to ensure your rights are taken care of. You need a maritime injury lawyer in Seattle. A maritime injury lawyer provides specialized knowledge about the Jones Act. To help you understand your position after an injury at sea, here are answers to frequently asked questions about maritime injury laws.
What is Maritime Law?
Maritime law refers to a special set of laws that apply to accidents that happed to service men and women while at sea or in service of maritime duties near the water. Another name for maritime law is the Jones Act. The laws protect the rights of injured sea personnel and provide for compensation. That’s why you need a special maritime injury lawyer in Seattle to represent your case.
What Happens When You Make a Claim Under the Jones Act?
First, you’ll need to work with an experienced maritime injury lawyer in Seattle to make your claim under the Maritime injury laws. Your attorney will ask you to gather information that can be used to help represent your interests. Your attorney may ask for your complete medical history, any doctor reports pertaining to the injury, any notices or correspondence you received from the employer or owner of the company, any photographic evidence you may have, and a list of potential witnesses along with their contact information.
Does it Matter Which Doctor You Got To?
You aren’t required to see the ship’s physician or a physician that’s employed by the company you work for. You can see any doctor you wish, as long as they’re licensed to practice medicine. The important part is to make you do go to visit a physician, no matter how slight your injuries may seem at the outset. That doctor’s report is an important piece of the evidence for your claim.
Shouldn’t You Cooperate With the Ship Authorities?
Of course, as an employee you should always obey commands. However, this doesn’t include signing any documents or making any written, verbal or recorded statements pertaining to your injury. You don’t have to talk about your injury to anyone except for your attorney. The only exception is that you should definitely report your injury to your superior when it occurs. Be especially careful not to say that any part of the incident or accident was your fault. Doing so could negatively impact the outcome of your case.
The most important things to remember if you have an injury at sea is to report it, see a doctor and consult with a maritime injury lawyer in Seattle as soon as possible.
