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Commercial Ship Accidents
Whether it is a tuna fleet in the Western Pacific, the crab boats of the Bering Sea, or a small fishery in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, California, or Hawaii, commercial fishing generally offers solid job possibilities that pay off very well and are rarely matched ashore. However, as one of the riskiest jobs in the entire nation, the stakes are high.
Your Rights
As a member of a commercial fishing vessel, your legal rights are going to be established in line with the Jones Act. If not a member of a commercial fishing vessel, your legal rights are going to be represented via yet another legal regulation, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act.
Commercial Fishing Injury Claims
Among the nuances that make commercial fishing injury claims so difficult is the fact that many employers are small, not owning more than a couple of vessels. For these employers, certain defenses are accessible under maritime law, including the Limitation Liability Act. This regulation makes it challenging to get compensation from such companies, even if the accident was caused by their negligence.
Furthering the complexity, the majority of larger companies contract to these smaller organizations in order to benefit from the very same law.
Another well-known challenge among these vessels is that of cover-ups, where boat crews create a narrative to hide the actual cause of the incident.
With so many complexities, it is crucial to get in touch with a qualified attorney to help you navigate the regulations and the norms of the commercial fishing industry and get the compensation you deserve.