Mariner Law, PLLC is an admiralty law firm that specializes in the Jones Act and maritime law. It represents people who were injured on or around the water. That includes individuals both on and off the job. In fact, the firm exclusively provides offshore injury attorney assistance to mariners. A maritime attorney from Mariner Law, PLLC will never represent insurance companies or vessel owners. Admiralty Attorney Adam Deitz is proud to use his years of experience as a maritime lawyer and as a licensed vessel master to zealously advocate for firm clients. Unlike other law firms, Mariner Law, PLLC does not prioritize taking on as many injured clients as possible. The firm represents only a few select clients. Indeed, that's how Mariner Law, PLLC garnered its excellent reputation in the first place -- by putting its clients first every time.
New York has a maritime history that dates back over 400 years. Located in the Northeast region of the United States, New York is sandwiched from the north and south by Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, the Long Island Sound and bays of the North Atlantic Ocean. Throughout the state runs significant rivers such as the Hudson River, Mohawk River, Saint Lawrence River, and Delaware Rivers, among many others. It is an understatement to say that New York is a state with significant waterways.
New York’s ports are some of the most vital commercial centers in the nation. The state ranks #5 among all states in per capita domestic maritime industry jobs, with 31,330 employees. The sector supplies more than an $8.45 billion contribution to the state and national economy, not including working income, which totals to more than $2.6 billion annually. New York-based maritime ventures are vibrant and diverse, encompassing a range of private, public, non-profit and academic activities. This includes cargo handling and multi-modal logistics, cruise ships, tour boats, fishing and seafood processing, dinner cruises, extensive ferry systems, ship and boat building and repair, recreational boating, and other passenger vessel operations, among many others.
The impacts of maritime jobs have supported families and companies throughout the state, rippling through the state’s economy and beyond. Given the marine transportation industry's great importance, it is critical that its employees are guarded from the potential hazards of the sector. If you work in a maritime role such as ferry crewmember, longshoreman, deckhand, or any other related occupation, you deserve a safe place to work.
Work as a seaman, dock worker, or member of the maritime industry in New York can be a grind. When a maritime employer fails to exercise reasonable prudence, there are consequences to the innocent employee and passengers aboard vessels. If you have been injured on the job, chances are there is evidence that safety operations were not up to par. Whether you were injured during vessel maneuvers, while using inadequate equipment, or because you were inadequately for the job, you have a right to receive compensation or other benefits. Mariner Law, PLLC is a maritime law firm with deep experience in maritime law and uses that knowledge to help victims navigate the complex systems of injury claims.
The U.S. CDC reports that the maritime worker nonfatal injury rate is usually twice the rate for the rest of the country overall. Dangers presented working on navigable waters and onshore at shipyards can make the marine transportation sector difficult, especially if there is an absence of caution from a business or organization. Some of the most common types of injuries that require help from an offshore injury lawyer include:
Among the highly notable large ports and bodies of water in New York’s locale are Buffalo, East River, Hudson River, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Long Island Sound, New York City, the Port of New York/New Jersey, and the Saint Lawrence Seaway, all of which are served by Mariner Law, PLLC to protect the key members of the maritime industry.
If you are facing a serious injury because of a work-related accident, there are commanding federal laws that Congress passed to ensure that you receive sufficient compensation. To find out how Mariner Law, PLLC can help you or a loved one with a maritime injury claim, call (646) 558-1776 today and schedule a consultation with an admiralty lawyer.
There are a multitude of rules and regulations in maritime law that can make the process of filing a claim extremely taxing and confusing. Mariner Law, PLLC is highly knowledgeable and passionate about the topic, and is able to provide valuable assistance or advice to anybody who is looking to navigate a maritime personal injury case.
A New York-based seaman or offshore worker may be eligible to file claims under a few broad umbrellas if he or she is harmed on the job, depending on the location of the event. These avenues include the Jones Act, Maintenance and Cure, Unseaworthiness, Wrongful Death, and Negligence.
The Doctrine of Unseaworthiness provides that a ship owner is responsible for providing a seaworthy vessel, including adequate equipment and crew in order to maintain its “seaworthiness.” Under the Jones Act, 46 U.S.C. § 30104, seamen can seek money damages for an injury if the maritime employee proves some negligence or fault on the part of the vessel’s owners, operators, officers, or employees. New York seamen who work on a vessel such as a ferry, tour boat, container ship, tug, research vessel, freighter, barge, car carriers, and dry-bulk ships and who contribute to the overall vessel function can utilize the Doctrine of Unseaworthiness or the Jones Act to maintain their workplace safety rights. Maintenance and Cure is useful to provide injured seamen with medical expenses, a limited form of wages, and overhead room and board while they are recovering from an accident that took place in service of a commercial vessel.
Instead of Maintenance and Cure, longshoremen, harbor workers, ship repairers, and other amphibious maritime workers can make a claim under the federal Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA). This law works similarly to New York workers’ compensation by assisting workers with coverage for medical care, vocational rehabilitation services, and compensation to those who are injured on the job. The program is operated by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Finally, the Death on High Seas Act (DOHSA) allows a claim for wrongful death to be filed within three years of a mariner's death at sea to provide his or her surviving family members with limited benefits.
Consult a salty, experienced maritime lawyer from Mariner Law, PLLC who can help guide you through the claims process as well as these intertwined and confusing laws. Proctor in Admiralty Adam Deitz steadfastly seeks compensation for his injured clients through his knowledge of maritime law and experience in the maritime industry.
Mariner Law, PLLC is an admiralty law firm specializing in maritime injury cases in New York, Connecticut, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. The firm only represents injured mariners, never insurance companies. With the firm’s admiralty legal services, you will always find strong support on the side of the injured deckhands, crewmembers, and seamen. Contact Mariner Law, PLLC to discuss your legal options if you are employed by the maritime industry in New York or were injured in New York waters. Call for a free consult with a seasoned Jones Act attorney now: (646) 558-1776. The firm can also meet potential clients by appointment in Manhattan: 40 Wall Street 27th Floor New York, NY 10005.
