Tugboats and other small harbor vessels serve a vital purpose in supplying larger ships and guiding them in and out of nearby waterways. While safety aboard these vessels has improved substantially over the past several decades, there are still plenty of ways that tugboat workers are at risk of serious injury while on the job.
Sustaining injuries while on board a tugboat can have long-lasting repercussions in your personal and professional life, but a dedicated maritime injury attorney might be able to you seek compensation. With a Mount Pleasant tugboat accident lawyer on your side, you can have better chances of achieving the financial recovery you deserve.
Causes and Effects of Tugboat Crashes
Collisions with other vessels are a particularly common way that tugboat workers get hurt while on the job. The risk of this kind of incident occurring—as well as the risk of the incident resulting in substantial physical harm—increases dramatically with unqualified individuals on the vessel’s bridge.
Failure to ensure appropriate maintenance and sanitation on board a tugboat can also cause a variety of accidents, including:
- Falls on cluttered walkways or down broken ladders
- Electrical shorts from defective equipment
- Collisions and groundings caused by sudden engine failure
Finally, numerous forms of negligence can lead to a tugboat capsizing, a catastrophic accident that often has fatal consequences. A qualified Mount Pleasant attorney could provide crucial assistance to an individual pursuing financial restitution after a tugboat accident.
Seeking Fair Compensation in Mount Pleasant
Like all other workers who spend most of their time on vessels in navigable waters, tugboat workers are covered by The Jones Act in the event of an on-the-job accident instead of the standard workers’ compensation. This is a critically important distinction, as it imposes additional requirements on workers looking to recover for their losses. It also allows successful claimants to recover for a wider variety of damages than employees who file workers’ comp claims.
Proving the Employer’s Negligence
To hold their employer accountable for the worker’s injuries, the injured individual must be able to prove that some form of negligence by their employer was the direct and primary cause of the harm they sustained. They could then recover for economic damages, such as the total value of lost wages and past and future medical bills.
However, they could also be eligible for non-economic damages that cover lost consortium, physical pain and suffering, lost enjoyment of life, and more. A dedicated lawyer in Mount Pleasant could explain what losses an individual could potentially factor into their claim based on the circumstances of the tugboat accident.
Consider Working with a Mount Pleasant Tugboat Accident Attorney
Whether a tugboat crash results in minor injuries that heal over time or catastrophic harm that permanently alters the lives of everyone involved, the process of seeking fair financial compensation can be incredibly challenging to manage alone. It is, therefore, essential to retain legal counsel with expertise handling claims such as these.
A Mount Pleasant tugboat accident lawyer could inform you of your rights and set you on course for a positive claim resolution. Call today to schedule a consultation.
