Alaska commercial fishing is widely recognized as one of the most hazardous lines of work in North America. Whether casting nets for wild salmon in Bristol Bay, setting pot lines for king crab in the turbulent Bering Sea, or trawling for pollock in the Gulf of Alaska, fishermen perform demanding physical labor under extreme environmental…
Working at sea carries inherent risks, but seamen should never have to put their lives on the line due to unsafe, defective, or poorly maintained equipment. Under general maritime law, shipowners owe an absolute, non-delegable duty to provide crew members with a seaworthy vessel. When an unseaworthy condition leads to an accident, the vessel owner…
A cruise departure from the Port of Los Angeles (San Pedro) or the Port of Long Beach promises an escape down the Pacific Coast or to the Mexican Riviera. However, when an unexpected incident occurs, whether a severe slip on a wet deck, an equipment breakdown, or a serious crew member injury, a vacation or…
What is a Section 905(b) claim? A Section 905(b) claim is a specific third-party personal injury lawsuit authorized under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA). It allows injured harbor workers, longshoremen, and shipyard personnel to sue a vessel owner for negligence to recover full tort damages that go beyond standard statutory benefits under…
The waters off Southern California are an economic engine, packed with commercial fishing trawlers, tugboats, shipping vessels, and heavy naval activity. But for the crewmembers, longshoremen, and harbor workers who keep San Diego Bay moving, the sea is as dangerous as it is productive. A single mechanical failure, rogue wave, or supervisor’s oversight can lead…
What is Maintenance and Cure? Maintenance and cure is an ancient maritime law doctrine that requires a vessel owner or maritime employer to provide payment for daily living expenses (maintenance) and comprehensive medical treatment (cure) to a seaman who becomes ill or injured while in the service of a vessel, regardless of who was at…
If you have been injured while working on the water, you are likely facing a mountain of medical bills, lost wages, and a confusing web of legal terms. You know you need legal representation, but as you search for help, you keep seeing two different titles: Jones Act attorney and maritime injury attorney. What is…
Every year, thousands of passengers board whale watching tours in the San Juan Islands, dinner cruises on Puget Sound, or fishing charters out of coastal ports like Bellingham, Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, expecting nothing more than a memorable day on the water. But accidents happen. When they do, corporate vessel operators count…
How a Limitation of Liability Act Maritime Lawyer Protects Your Rights After an Accident If you have been seriously injured or have lost a loved one in a maritime disaster, you likely expect the vessel owner to take responsibility. However, many maritime workers are shocked to discover that instead of receiving a settlement offer, they…
Suffering an injury aboard a commercial vessel is a jarring, chaotic experience. Out on the water, whether you are pulling pots in Alaska, handling lines on a Columbia River tug, or working the deck of a factory trawler in the Pacific Northwest, the line between a minor mishap and a career-ending injury is razor-thin. An…
