Pensacola Maritime Injury Attorney
Quick Answer
Injured maritime workers may have remedies unavailable to land-based employees, including Jones Act negligence claims for seamen, unseaworthiness claims against the vessel, maintenance and cure benefits, and Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act coverage for dock and terminal workers.
Key Takeaways
- Seaman status under the Jones Act determines which remedy applies.
- Maintenance and cure is owed regardless of fault while recovering.
- Longshore workers are covered by the LHWCA, not state workers' compensation.
Who Qualifies as a Seaman
Jones Act protection requires a substantial connection to a vessel or fleet in navigation, both in duration and nature. Crew on tugs, supply boats, charter and commercial fishing vessels, and offshore service craft often qualify; workers whose duties are primarily shoreside typically do not.
Available Remedies
A Jones Act claim requires only slight negligence by the employer to establish causation. Unseaworthiness imposes liability where the vessel or its equipment, crew, or procedures were not reasonably fit. Maintenance and cure pays daily living costs and medical care until maximum medical improvement, regardless of fault.
Port of Pensacola and Gulf Operations
Cargo handling, shipyard work, offshore support, and commercial fishing along the Northwest Florida coast generate injuries from falls, line and winch failures, crane and cargo incidents, slippery decks, and confined-space hazards.