Fort Worth Maritime Accidents

Fort Worth Maritime Accidents

Jobs in the maritime industry carry incredible risks to health and safety. State and federal laws are in place to make sure you’re protected if you get hurt on the job in Fort Worth, Texas. However, getting compensation can be a challenge. That’s where the experienced Fort Worth maritime accident lawyers at Stephens Law Firm, PLLC, can help.

Stephens Law Firm, PLLC is a top-rated personal injury law firm and trusted advocate for injured workers in the state of Texas. Backed by over 25 years of experience, our award-winning trial attorneys have helped clients win more than $100 million (and counting) in compensation from employers, insurance companies, manufacturers, and other powerful defendants.

Make the most of your maritime injury claim by trusting us to fight for your best interests, too. We offer a free consultation. Contact our Fort Worth law office to get started at (817) 420 7000.

How Stephens Law Firm, PLLC Can Help You After a Maritime Accident Near Fort Worth, TX

How Stephens Law Firm, PLLC Can Help You After a Maritime Accident Near Fort Worth, TX

Maritime injury claims are inherently complex. You’ve got enough to worry about without the added stress of a legal claim for damages. It’s in your best interest to enlist the help of an experienced Fort Worth personal injury attorney to help you make the most of your fight for compensation.

When you choose Stephens Law Firm, PLLC, to be your advocate, you put a team with over 25 years of experience in your corner. Our lawyers have helped clients win over $100 million in damages, including some of the top verdicts in the state of Texas. 

With our trusted legal team in charge of your maritime injury claim, you’ll have the ability to concentrate on your recovery and how to move forward with your life. You can count on us to:

  • Help you understand your legal rights as an injured maritime worker and exhaust your options for recovering monetary benefits and/or damages
  • Conduct an independent investigation into your maritime accident
  • Evaluate the evidence we’re able to obtain during the discovery stage, including medical records, vessel maintenance records, OSHA compliance, photographs, accident reports, and witness statements.
  • Determine what your maritime injury claim is likely worth
  • Bring in experts with knowledge relevant to your case to help us build a compelling legal claim on your behalf
  • Represent you during settlement negotiations and, if necessary, at hearings, on appeal, and at trial

Don’t struggle with the costs of a maritime accident on your own. Trust Stephens Law Firm, PLLC, to help you assert your legal rights and fight for a substantial monetary award. We represent injured maritime workers in Fort Worth on contingency. This arrangement means you’ll pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

There’s a limited time to take action, so don’t hesitate to contact our law office in Fort Worth, TX, today. Your first case evaluation is free.

Representing Clients in All Types of Maritime Accidents

Jobs in the maritime industry are inherently dangerous. In fact, maritime workers are nearly five times more likely to die in work-related accidents than other workers in the United States. Maritime accidents are those related to the sea. This can include different shipping trades, working in support of a vessel in navigation, and even things like oil extraction.

At Stephens Law Firm, PLLC, we represent clients who’ve been injured or lost close family members in all types of maritime accidents, including:

  • Cargo ship accidents
  • Commercial fishing accidents
  • Shipyard accidents
  • Oil rig accidents
  • Diving support vessel accidents
  • Barge accidents
  • Cruise ship accidents
  • Container ship accidents
  • Drillship accidents
  • Shrimp boat accidents
  • Crude oil tanker accidents
  • Tugboat accidents

Benefit from our 25+ years of experience by calling our Fort Worth, TX, law office right now. We’ll listen to your side of the story, assess your legal rights as an injured maritime worker, and help you fight for the compensation you deserve.

How Can I Recover Compensation After a Maritime Accident in Fort Worth?

Your options for recovering compensation will depend on which state and/or federal laws apply to your specific situation. Federal maritime laws, in particular, offer protection to specific types of workers. Most often, maritime workers in Fort Worth can typically pursue compensation under one or more of the following laws:

The Jones Act

The Jones Act, or the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, offers two types of protections to a specific class of maritime workers known as seamen. You’re considered a seaman for the purposes of The Jones Act if you work in support of a vessel in navigation and spend at least 30 percent of your time on board the vessel. Your work must contribute to the vessel’s operation. Sailors, deckhands, mechanics, and cooks are all workers who can typically qualify for benefits.

The Jones Act allows injured seamen to seek no-fault maintenance and cure benefits, which help cover day-to-day expenses and medical bills while they recover.

Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act

Workers who do not qualify for benefits under The Jones Act can often qualify for compensation under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA). The LHWCA is a federal workers’ compensation program for most maritime workers, including longshoremen, shipbuilders, marine engineers, and dock workers.

The LHWCA also offers no-fault benefits to injured maritime workers. Like other workers’ compensation systems, they are limited in scope. If you’re protected by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, you may be entitled to benefits for:

  • Lost wages
  • Rehabilitation
  • Travel expenses
  • Medical treatment

If a maritime accident near Fort Worth, Texas, is fatal, a worker’s surviving family members may have the right to seek death benefits under the LHWCA.

Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act

The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act was passed to extend LHWCA benefits to workers on fixed structures more than three miles off the coast of the United States. Most often, this helps workers on fixed oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico secure benefits when they’re injured in an oil rig accident.

Texas Personal Injury Lawsuit

Some maritime workers, particularly those who spend most of their time on shore, may have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit against a negligent or otherwise liable party after an accident. 

Potentially liable parties could include an employer (especially if they do not carry workers’ compensation insurance), an equipment manufacturer, a motorist, a co-worker, a government agency, or a property owner.

Through a personal injury lawsuit, injured maritime workers can request compensatory damages for medical bills, lost wages, disability, out-of-pocket expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other losses. Punitive damages may also be available if a maritime accident lawsuit goes to trial. 

Helping You Seek Compensation For All of Your Maritime Accident Injuries

Stephens Law Firm, PLLC is a trusted advocate for maritime workers and families struggling with:

Report your injuries to your supervisor right away. Then, make sure you seek prompt medical treatment, preferably at the closest hospital onshore in the United States. When you can, take the time to reach out to our maritime accident attorneys in Fort Worth. We’ll be available to take your call, listen, and offer the compassionate legal guidance you need to move forward.

How Long Will I Have to Get Compensation After a Maritime Accident in Texas?

How long you have to bring your claim depends on how you pursue compensation for your maritime injuries. Different laws have different statutes of limitations.

  • The Jones Act: three years from the date of injury
  • Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act: one year from the date of injury
  • Texas personal injury lawsuit: two years from the date of injury

These statutes of limitations have few exceptions. If you miss the filing deadline that applies to your case, you will forfeit the right to recover no-fault benefits or damages from a responsible third party.

Schedule a Complimentary Case Evaluation With a Fort Worth Maritime Accident Lawyer

Call Stephens Law Firm, PLLC, if you’ve been injured in a maritime accident near Fort Worth, Texas. You have rights, which can include the opportunity to recover benefits for your injuries and losses. Our award-winning For Worth maritime accident lawyers want to help you make the most of a very difficult situation.

We’re a trusted advocate for injured maritime workers and grieving families with over 25 years of relevant legal experience. Our smart, client-focused approach to litigation has helped us win over $100 million in damages. 

Now, our law firm wants to make a difference in your life, too. Contact our Fort Worth, TX, law office to get started. Your first case evaluation is free.