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New Jersey Maritime Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
Maritime Worker Injury Attorneys in Clark, NJ Representing Injured Maritime Workers in Essex County, Hudson County, Middlesex County, Union County, and Throughout NJ
Injuries among seamen, fishermen, dockworkers, divers, and other maritime workers aren’t just common. They’re legally complex and often medically severe. The New Jersey maritime workers’ compensation lawyers at Team Law have a long history of fighting for the rights of employees injured on the job. Our knowledge of the special laws that apply to work injuries in the maritime industry and our capacity to overcome challenges in complicated legal matters make our attorneys uniquely qualified to assist you.
The consultation is completely free, and there are no upfront costs for professional legal assistance with your maritime workers’ comp claim. To get started, contact us today.
Injured Maritime Workers’ Legal Right to Compensation
Maritime workers injured on the job have a legal right to seek compensation for the harm they have suffered. Rather than seeking benefits through the New Jersey workers’ comp system that applies to most other industries, maritime workers are eligible for compensation under federal law.
Getting the compensation you’re entitled to, and which your family needs more than ever while you’re out of work and undergoing medical care, isn’t straightforward. Questions, disputes, and claim denials are common. Complicated paperwork and extensive documentation requirements can make the process difficult, even if you weren’t already struggling because of your physical injuries and their financial effects. Often, injured workers and their families aren’t sure where to begin.
Team Law’s maritime worker injury attorneys in Clark, NJ, can guide you through the process of collecting the benefits you deserve from start to finish. We’re ready to answer your questions and oversee all aspects of your claim, ensuring you receive the full benefits you’re entitled to without the legal process taking over your life.
Maritime Workers’ Compensation Claims in New Jersey
The maritime industry is a major occupation in New Jersey, accounting for 15,670 jobs, the American Maritime Partnership reported. When accidents, injuries, and occupational illnesses affect NJ maritime workers, they have legal rights, including the right to seek compensation for their losses without the threat of employer retaliation.
Causes of Maritime Accidents and Injuries
Maritime accidents take many forms, encompassing all types of work-related accidents, overexertion injuries, and occupational illnesses. In New Jersey, maritime injuries often arise out of causes like the following:
- Pier and dock accidents
- Accidents due to unseaworthy vessels
- Defective equipment
- Steering and navigation system failures
- Lack of adequate training
- Improperly secured cargo and equipment
High-pressure work conditions in the maritime industry, including long hours, long voyages, and exposure to dangerous chemicals and environments, are factors that can compound these risks.
Identifying and documenting the cause of your work-related injury is important for qualifying for benefits. A thorough investigation by seasoned maritime worker injury attorneys in Clark, NJ, can also uncover any potential causes of action you may have against a third party.
Maritime Workers’ Compensation Laws
Two federal laws provide for workers’ compensation benefits for maritime workers.
The Jones Act, known formally as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, provides for benefits for injured seamen.
Through the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA), maritime workers who do not constitute “a master or member of a crew of any vessel” can receive benefits when injured. This category includes longshore workers, shipbuilders, and harbor construction workers, among other employees.
Both the Jones Act and the LHWCA entitle injured maritime workers to benefits such as medical expenses and lost wages. In instances of fatal work accident injuries, these federal laws also provide for the payment of survivor benefits to the deceased worker’s dependents.
How Team Law Can Help Injured Maritime Workers
To get the benefits you deserve for a maritime work injury, you need experienced help and considerable legal knowledge. Team Law’s maritime worker injury attorneys in Clark, NJ, assist injured maritime workers in all roles with claims arising out of all types of accidents, overexertion-related work injuries, and occupational illnesses.
Types of Maritime Workers’ Compensation Claims Team Law Handles
Our New Jersey maritime workers’ compensation lawyers are prepared to represent your interests and advocate for full benefits in claims such as the following:
- Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act claims: With the exception of seamen covered under the Jones Act, most injured maritime workers will pursue benefits under the LHWCA. We’re familiar with the intricacies of this federal law and the procedures for filing claims.
- Longshoremen injury claims: To qualify for benefits under the LHWCA, injured longshoremen must establish that the injury is work-related and document the physical damage they sustained with extensive medical records.
- Stevedore injury claims: If you’re hurt while engaging in the hazardous work of unloading cargo as a stevedore, you probably have questions about the claims process. We can help.
- Dockworker injury claims: The physically demanding duties of a dockworker can contribute to the likelihood of serious injuries. An attorney familiar with the specifics of these claims can ensure you get the compensation you’re entitled to.
- Crane operator injury claims: While cranes are valuable equipment for loading and unloading cargo, these operations can also lead to accidents that injure maritime workers. Experienced maritime worker injury attorneys in Clark, NJ, can sort out the causes of these complicated accidents and help you move forward with your claim for compensation.
- Oil rig worker injuries: Workers injured on offshore oil drilling platforms can encounter numerous complications in their claims for benefits, but with legal help, they can overcome these challenges.
- Union worker injuries: Although unions are intended to ensure safer work conditions, among other advantages, union workers in the hazardous maritime industry still suffer serious injuries. These workers should protect their legal rights by retaining professional legal representation.
- Defense Base Act claims: Maritime workers injured while working on military defense bases must pursue benefits through the Defense Base Act, or DBA, an extension of the LHWCA. This whole process may sound complicated, but our New Jersey maritime workers’ compensation lawyers are here to simplify it.
- Military contractor injuries: For military contractors, getting compensation for injuries can be an uphill battle that requires knowledge of the DBA and other regulations.
Our Approach to Maritime Workers’ Comp Claims
In any work injury matter, thorough documentation and comprehensive case preparation are essential for getting the full benefits you deserve with minimal setbacks or complications. We take a proactive approach to each case, using our knowledge of legal and procedural requirements to guide our work in building a strong case for you.
Why Choose Team Law as Your New Jersey Maritime Workers’ Compensation Lawyers?
When you’re looking for the right attorney to represent you in an injury claim, Team Law is here to answer every question and address every obstacle. We’ll bring to your case:
- Extensive experience: For more than 60 years, Team Law has assisted injured workers across New Jersey.
- Comprehensive assistance for injured maritime workers: We know making sense of maritime injuries can be complicated, but with us on your side, you won’t have to worry. We’re prepared to assist with all kinds of maritime worker injury cases with a deep understanding of the federal laws and procedures involved in all claims.
- Free, no-obligation consultations: It costs you nothing to find out how we can assist with your claim. A free consultation with our New Jersey maritime workers’ compensation lawyers gives you the chance to get your questions answered and explore your options at no charge and with no obligation.
Contact the New Jersey Maritime Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at Team Law Today for a Free Case Review
Injured maritime workers deserve the benefits they’re entitled to under the law and the support of a trusted guide to get them through the claims process.
For help from maritime worker injury attorneys in Clark, NJ, contact Team Law online or call us today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maritime Workers’ Compensation Claims in New Jersey
Any worker involved in the maritime industry in any capacity, from working onboard ships to working on docks, may pursue compensation for their injuries under the appropriate laws. Our New Jersey maritime workers’ compensation lawyers assist all maritime workers, including seamen, longshoremen, dock workers, crane operators, union workers, military contractors, and more.
Maritime injuries encompass harm arising out of accidents, overexertion and repetitive stress, and occupational illnesses that occur or result from exposure on the job.
Accidents that commonly occur in the maritime industry include:
-Fires
-Explosions
-Collisions with vessels, vehicles, equipment, or permanent structures
-Fall injuries
-Crush and struck-by injuries involving shifting cargo or improperly stowed equipment
Major accidents aren’t the only cause of maritime work injuries. The stress of these physically demanding jobs can lead to considerable physical damage. Lifting injuries, such as damage to the muscles and soft tissues in the back and shoulders, are common in roles that require heavy lifting duties. In jobs that require repetitive motions, the chronic strain can lead to conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome.
Occupational exposure to harmful substances can also contribute to acute or chronic conditions. Among maritime workers, occupational illnesses include shipboard infectious diseases and cancers such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.
Each type of maritime work injury presents its own medical concerns and potential legal issues. Having knowledgeable maritime worker injury attorneys in Clark, NJ, can help you overcome the challenges and achieve a successful resolution to your claim.
Although you aren’t legally required to have an attorney represent you when seeking benefits, there are compelling reasons to hire knowledgeable New Jersey maritime workers’ compensation lawyers like Team Law. We go to great lengths to thoroughly document every aspect of your claim and ensure all paperwork is filed and deadlines and procedural requirements are met. We represent you throughout the claims process, answer all questions you have, and handle every aspect of your claim so you can focus on healing.
Challenges like claim denials, disputes, and delays are common in work injury matters. Having an attorney advocating for you means you’re prepared to address these challenges. We have experience handling complex cases and addressing disputes and denials through extensive documentation and case preparation.
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