Maritime Claims

State workers' compensation laws generally prohibit lawsuits against negligent employers by employees, and limit a workers' recovery for a work injury. Tow boat workers, merchant mariners and seamen, however, enjoy certain protections under the Jones Act. Unlike restrictive workers' compensation laws which apply to most work injuries, a seaman who was injured while working on a ship can recover damages from the ship's owner if the owner's or another employees negligence or the ship's unseaworthiness caused their injury.

Major rail and road connections in and near St. Louis make our ports a vital location for transporting goods. At the convergence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers, cargo leaving the St. Louis port travels directly to New Orleans or the Gulf of Mexico without any hurdles. Every year, seamen, and dock and shipping workers are injured because of negligence or the natural hazards that come with working on a vessel on inland waters.

St. Louis is a busy port, with tow boats, barges, cargo vessels, pilot and tugboats on the waters, not to mention riverboat casinos and ferries. It is also one of the most dangerous places to serve as a crew member. Seamen of all types man the vessels that navigate the surrounding rivers. Unavoidably, accidents on their vessels sometimes cause injury to the semen in their employ. When this happens, a variety of legal courses of action might be advisable, from The Jones Act, to a claim under the General Maritime Law, or, in some cases when certain Jones Act requirements are not met, a claim under the Longshoreman and Harbor Worker's Act (LHWCA). This act is the statutory workers' compensation scheme that covers maritime workers, including most dock workers and professionals not otherwise covered by the Jones Act. For advice regarding your legal rights following an injury sustained while in employ of a vessel, contact Guirl Law Firm.

Be aware that Maritime law extends to passengers injured on a boat as well as seamen and workmen. This includes recreational boat use and personal water craft use. The U.S. maritime injury claims process is complicated and requires an in-depth understanding of the law and court procedures.

Guirl Law Firm is dedicated to pursuing your rights under the law and obtaining a verdict or settlement for monetary damages to help you and your family through the difficult times following an injury.