The waterways around Louisiana provide employment for numerous residents. During the course of their duties, they could suffer debilitating injuries. The problem is that those who work on vessels, harbors, docks or oil platforms do not qualify for traditional workers’ compensation as those who work on land do. Instead, they must rely on admiralty and maritime law for the benefits they need during recovery.
Federal courts hear most work-related injury claims. Depending on the type of work the injured person does, claims would be filed under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act or the Jones Act. In some cases, a claim could be filed under both acts.
Other admiralty, also referred to as maritime, laws may apply depending on a person’s situation. In any case, these acts provide for injured maritime workers to pursue benefits to cover lost income, medical expenses and more as applicable. The issues facing those who work on the country’s navigable waters require different treatment from those who work on land. Unlike traditional workers’ compensation claims, those initiated under these acts are more like a personal injury claim than an application for benefits.
Like others across the country, Louisiana residents who work on navigable waters face a variety of hazards and dangers as they carry out their work. Even under the best of circumstances, injuries are possible. They need to know that they can turn to admiralty and maritime law for the compensation they need in order to relieve the financial burdens associated with a work-related injury.
