Admiralty Lawyer

The Nature of Admiralty Law

Admiralty law, also referred to as maritime law, is the area of law that applies to employment, trade, commerce, transportation, and other activities that happen at sea. This area of law is rather complex and contains regulation that dates back centuries. It contains multiple facets of governance including legislation specifically dealing with seafarers and their working conditions.

As with all working environments, workers need to be protected, and this is especially true for workers on the high seas. Many times jobs last days or even weeks, which means it is critical that the conditions in which they work and reside are safe. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Workers can endure very serious injuries and before the passing of the Jones Act, there was no uniform protection for them.

Legal Help

The Jones Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 1970, is legislation that specifically covers the legal rights of workers at sea. This act covers who is liable when a worker is injured. The Jones Act takes laws that apply to workers that are injured on land and extends them to apply to the unique circumstances of workers at sea. To fully understand what this piece of legislation means requires the input of an admiralty lawyer that has knowledge of this area of law. A workers' compensation lawyer, although knowledgeable of the process of filing a claim for workers' compensation, may not completely understand how differently the relevant laws apply to seafarers and their injuries.

If you have been injured while working off at sea, or if you have a family member that has been injured, you need to understand your legal rights. These could include entitlement of being reimbursed for medical bills as well as recovery of a daily allowance. Williams Kherkher has a team of lawyers who spend the time working within this area of law. Our admiralty lawyers have dealt with cases just like yours. They have the reputation you need to be the best advocate for you when communicating with your employer, your insurance company, or even the owner of the vessel you were on when injured, if applicable. Do not settle on choosing just any attorney. You need an admiralty lawyer to make certain that you have the best possible chance of obtaining an equitable outcome.

New rules and regulations are always being modified under admiralty law. Only an admiralty lawyer can keep up with these changes. Williams Kherkher looks forward to helping you and offers a free consultation to evaluate your case. Contact us today.