Maritime Law
Advocating for Seafarers’ Rights Around the World
If you are injured while working on a vessel, your legal claim is handled differently than other types of work accidents. Likewise, special wage and hour rules apply to seafarers. A large body of complex statutes and international treaties govern your right to recover job injury compensation or recoup unpaid wages.The Baton Rouge law firm of Dodson & Hooks, APLC, has obtained millions in compensation for workers who have suffered offshore injuries under the Jones Act and for lost wages under penalty wage statutes. Our Baton Rouge maritime attorneys represent individuals throughout Louisiana, across the United States and around the world. As a result, our attorneys are recognized throughout the industry for their ability to obtain results.
Gulf Coast Admiralty Attorneys Help Injured Seamen
Maritime occupations typically involve dangerous duties. In the early 1900s, seamen injured while performing their jobs had little recourse. In fact, employers often suffered no consequences for recklessly disregarding the safety and wellbeing of their crew. Passage of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 — known as the Jones Act — granted important legal rights to seafarers.Getting compensation under the Jones Act and other maritime laws is very complicated. The Jones Act states that the negligent employer must compensate an injured seaman for damages received as a result of an injury. General maritime law states that a vessel owner must compensate an injured seaman for transportation, wages, maintenance, and cure, without regard to liability. If the injury is due to negligence, our law firm seeks additional compensation for pain and suffering.
Unpaid Wages Under Maritime Law
Not receiving prompt payment for your hard work is disheartening. After being away from your loved ones for months, unpaid wages can also place a financial strain on your family. Even if your vessel takes you to distant, remote areas of the world, your wages claim may nonetheless fall under the special provisions of the U.S. maritime laws. Our Baton Rouge maritime attorneys take action against your employer to recover your rightful earnings.
How Our Louisiana Maritime Law Attorneys Can Help
Maritime laws apply to employment on a variety of vessels, ports and loading docks. Our firm has experience with many types of accidents and injuries involving offshore workers, including:
- Ferry and water taxi accidents
- Fishing trawler accidents
- Tugboat and barge accidents
- Tanker or cargo ship accidents
- Offshore oil rig accidents
Our office is located in Baton Rouge but we represent injured workers living and working throughout the United States and the rest of the world. We have assisted clients from Poland, Russia, Japan, Philippines, the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
Our international correspondents help you wherever you are in the world and our multilingual 24-hour phone service allows you to call us from any time zone.
Boating Collisions
While working aboard a maritime vessel in waters outside of Louisiana, and elsewhere across the U.S. and the globe, there are often unique and difficult challenges for those employees. Unfortunately, many of these hazards often result in serious injury and death of workers when accidents occur. The law does, however, provide special protection for maritime workers under the Jones Act and other maritime laws.
Baton Rouge Work Boat Injury Attorneys
At Dodson & Hooks, APLC, our lawyers provide experienced and effective legal representation to those who have been injured on work boats throughout the United States. We will investigate the accident to determine the cause and all liable parties, as well as what statutes apply to the situation. We have obtained millions in compensation for hundreds of workers resulting from offshore injuries.
Louisiana Boating Accident Attorneys
Our firm has handled workboat accident claims involving:
- Crew boats and supply boats going to offshore rigs
- Survey vessels
- Seismic exploration vessels
- Towboats
- Push boats
- Tugboats
- Barges
- Cruise ships
Fishing Trawling Accidents
New Orleans Commercial Fishing Vessel Accident Attorneys
Popularized on television, it is well known how dangerous the job is of commercial fishing. While some risks are inherent, workers on commercial fishing trawlers and other vessels depend upon proper maintenance of those vessels, fishing equipment and highly skilled co-workers who are able to preserve safety at sea.Unfortunately, when a shipowner or another fisherman is negligent, it can take a dangerous situation and make it even more serious. At the law firm of Dodson & Hooks, APLC, our firm provides experienced representation to those injured while working on fishing trawlers and other fishing vessels in Louisiana and elsewhere across the U.S. and internationally.
Louisiana Trawling Accident Attorneys
Our firm has and will handle all types of fishing vessel accident cases, including those involving:- Crabbers
- Trawlers
- Longliners
- Seiners
- Draggers
- Processor vessels
- Tenders
