Atlanta Admiralty & Maritime Lawyer

Admiralty & Maritime Attorney in Atlanta, GA

If you are hurt at work in Atlanta, you are probably covered by workers’ compensation insurance. However, there are many maritime companies like Maersk and CMA CGM that have major presences in the Atlanta area, and any workers who are injured at sea must know the laws that apply to these work injuries. An experienced Atlanta admiralty lawyer can be a vital asset in your recovery efforts after any work-related injury at sea.

Working in the maritime industry presents unique challenges and risks, and when accidents occur, they can leave your life in disarray. You may face serious physical injuries, emotional upheaval, and financial strain. At Hall & Lampros, we recognize the essential role safety and responsibility should play in this line of work. When those in charge fail to uphold these responsibilities, it can leave you feeling vulnerable and uncertain.

This page explains how our experienced admiralty and maritime accident lawyers in Atlanta can step in to support you if you feel those responsible have not upheld their duties. We are dedicated to helping you secure the compensation you deserve across Atlanta, GA, and ensuring your rights are protected.

Admiralty & Maritime Accident Law Firm Serving All Courts in Georgia

Hall & Lampros is an Atlanta admiralty and maritime accident attorney who understands how an accident at sea can disrupt your life. You may find yourself dealing with serious physical injuries, emotional trauma, mounting medical expenses, and lost income. Hall & Lampros can be part of the team that helps you navigate these challenging waters and get your life back on course.

Located at 300 Galleria Pkwy, Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30339, Hall & Lampros is dedicated to serving maritime workers across Atlanta, Georgia. If you or a family member have been seriously injured due to the negligence or actions of others in a maritime setting, contact Hall & Lampros by calling 404-876-8100 to schedule a risk-free, no-obligation consultation. Let us assist you in securing the compensation you deserve.

Maritime Law

Maritime and admiralty law are the sets of rules and regulations for causes of actions occurring on oceans, seas, and some interstate lakes and rivers. Maritime and admiralty law cases are usually subject to federal courts (federal law and jurisdiction).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 400,000 are employed in US-based maritime industries, and this type of work is statistically one of the most dangerous. For example, the water transportation industry’s workplace fatality rate is 4.7 times higher than the average rate for all other US workers.

The Jones Act: Seaman Injured Working On Maritime Vessels

Seaman injured on seafaring ships are entitled to recovery under the Jones Act (46 U.S.C. § 30104) if they can prove that the employer was negligent in contributing to cause the injury. Injured seaman are entitled to recover under the Jones Act lost past, present, and future earnings, medical expenses, pain and suffering and mental anguish. Seaman also are entitled to “maintenance and cure” regardless of whether the employer was negligent.

“Maintenance” payments provide basic daily living expenses like rent, food, groceries, and utilities. Maintenance payments range from $12 to $50 per day and are required until the seaman reaches maximum medical improvement.

“Cure” refers to medical care for an injured or ill seaman. The seaman is entitled to such care as part of “cure” until hear reaches maximum medical improvement. Your Atlanta admiralty lawyer at Hall & Lampros, LLP, can carefully review medical records and all other relevant documentation to maximize this aspect of your recovery.

Vessel Seaworthiness

Maritime law imposes the duty on all employers to make sure their employees work on vessels that are seaworthy. Seaworthiness means that the ship is suitable for all aspects of the voyage or work to be performed. Maritime law provides damages to employees (outside of the workers compensation scheme) who are injured due to a vessel being unseaworthiness, but only if the unseaworthiness was caused by the employer’s negligence.

The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act

Federal law provides federal workers compensation benefits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) to employees in non-seaman maritime occupations such as longshore workers, ship-repairers, shipbuilders or ship-breakers, and harbor construction workers.

The Difference Between the Jones Act and LHWCA.

The Jones Act applies to any “master or member of a crew of any vessel” and the LHWCA excludes such persons from coverage. An employee is covered under the Jones Act if he/she contributes to the function of the vessel or the accomplishment of its mission. Other maritime employees generally are covered by the LHWCA, with the following exceptions:

• Seamen (masters or members of a crew of any vessel – see FAQ 5);
• Employees of U.S. government or any state or foreign government;
• Employees whose injuries were caused solely by their intoxication; and
• Employees whose injuries were due to their own willful intention to harm themselves or others.

The LHWCA also excludes the following persons if they are covered by a state workers’ compensation law:

• Individuals employed exclusively to perform office clerical, secretarial, security, or data processing work;
• Individuals employed by a club, camp, recreational operation, restaurant, museum, or retail outlet;
• Individuals employed by a marina and who are not engaged in construction, replacement, or expansion of such marina (except for routine maintenance);
• Individuals who (A) are employed by suppliers, transporters, or vendors, (B) are temporarily doing business on the premises of a maritime employer, and (C) are not engaged in work normally performed by employees of that employer covered under the Act;
• Aquaculture workers;
• Individuals employed to build any recreational vessel under sixty-five feet in length, or to repair any recreational vessel, or to dismantle any part of a recreational vessel in connection with the repair of such vessel; and
• Small vessel workers if exempt by certification of the Secretary of Labor under certain conditions.

PROVEN ADVOCACY FOR INJURED SEAMEN, OIL WORKERS AND DOCK WORKERS

Our Gulf Coast maritime injury lawyers are prepared to move quickly and investigate your shipping industry or offshore oil industry accident or other serious on-the job accident thoroughly. Our experienced maritime accident & injury lawyers bring solid legal knowledge, extensive trial experience and connections to expert resources to bear on each maritime injury case we handle, seeking justice on behalf of:

• Oil workers injured on offshore drilling rigs, fixed platforms, tankers and dive boats
• Seamen, crew members, engineers, officers and others injured aboard all types of vessels at sea
• Dock workers injured or killed while unloading cargo or performing other duties
• Ship repairers, breakers, welders and other workmen injured on their jobs
• Victims of offshore helicopter accidents
• Our attorneys have handled challenging cases arising from offshore and inland claims nationwide and around the world, applying in-depth knowledge of:
• Jones Act claims on behalf of workers injured on vessels at sea, docked ships or oil rigs
• Survivors’ rights to benefits under The Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA) when a wrongful death occurs due to a maritime employer’s negligence
• Dock workers’ and other non-Jones Act workers’ injuries and rights to benefits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA)

Navigating the aftermath of a maritime injury is difficult if you do not have an attorney with proven experience handling these challenging cases. At Hall & Lampros, LLP, we are fluent in the maritime laws in place to protect workers at sea, and we are confident we can help you obtain compensation. When you are ready to hire an admiralty lawyer, reach out to our firm to learn how we can help.

FAQs

Q: How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Maritime Injury?

A: The amount of compensation you can claim for a maritime injury largely depends on the severity of the injury and the scope of its effects, as well as the maritime laws that apply to your situation. For example, the Jones Act ensures you have the right to claim maintenance and cure, and your Atlanta admiralty lawyer can be an invaluable asset for maximizing your compensation.

Q: Why Should I Hire an Admiralty Lawyer?

A: You should hire an admiralty lawyer because your case will likely involve navigating specific maritime laws that do not apply to workplace injuries on land. You need an attorney who understands these laws in precise detail to have the greatest chance of not only succeeding with your recovery efforts but also maximizing your compensation.

Q: How Long Does It Take to Resolve a Maritime Injury Case?

A: The time it could take to resolve a maritime injury case varies based on multiple variables. If you hire an admiralty lawyer as quickly as you can after your injury, it’s possible for your legal team to resolve your case within a few weeks to a few months. Disputed cases and any cases requiring litigation could take longer to resolve, so it’s vital to hire legal counsel so you can start building your case quickly.

Q: What Does It Cost to Hire an Atlanta Admiralty Lawyer?

A: The cost to hire an Atlanta admiralty lawyer can depend on the final value of your case when you choose Hall & Lampros, LLP, to represent you. We take personal injury cases on a contingency fee policy, meaning our client does not pay anything upfront; we only charge a fee if and when we recover compensation for our client, and the contingency fee is a percentage of the total recovered for the client.

Consult an Experienced Maritime Injury Lawyer, Free and Without Obligation

Whether your potential maritime injury case involves a ship capsizing, fire or explosion at sea, negligent cargo handling or equipment maintenance, or other factors, we encourage you to contact an Atlanta maritime accident injury lawyer at Hall & Lampros, LLP, for a focused discussion of your needs, rights and legal options.

For your free case evaluation, call or text 404-876-8100 now or complete an intake form on our contact page and we will call you! Serving Clients Nationwide!