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 work on the water, an on-the-job injury isn’t like a slip-and-fall on land. Whether you are pulling crab pots in Alaska, throwing lines on a Columbia River tugboat, or offloading cargo at the Port of Los Angeles, a serious accident can instantly jeopardize your livelihood. In the high-stakes aftermath of a maritime accident,…
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…
If you are a seaman who has been injured at sea, you may have more legal options available to you than you realize. Beyond the well-known Jones Act, maritime law provides another powerful avenue for injured crew members: the unseaworthiness doctrine. Understanding this doctrine (what it means, how it works, and what damages you can…
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…
After a serious maritime accident, the path to recovery can seem overwhelming. You’re facing physical pain, emotional stress, and a growing stack of medical bills. A critical question arises: How do you quantify the full impact of an injury? At BoatLaw, LLP, we understand that a fair recovery goes far beyond simply adding up receipts….
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…
What Are Jones Act Damages? Jones Act damages are the financial compensation injured maritime workers, such as fishermen, deckhands, and processors, can legally recover after being hurt at sea due to employer negligence. Unlike standard land-based workers’ compensation, these damages explicitly cover pain and suffering, lost future earning capacity, and past medical expenses. A serious…
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…
A 60-day waiver, a 659-product carve-out, and a tightened legal standard — what maritime stakeholders need to understand about the most significant Jones Act action in years. On March 17, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, acting on a request from the Department of War, issued a 60-day limited waiver of the Jones Act…
