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A supply boat is a support vessel with a size ranging from 65 feet to 350 feet in length. Supply boats can perform numerous tasks with their primary job as transporting workers and supplies to and from offshore structures like oil platforms. Common cargo that is often transported by supply boats can be pulverized cement, various chemicals, fuel, and fresh water. Supply boats also brings supplies back from oil platforms such as chemicals that need to be disposed of or recycled. The ships may also be equipped for support purposes with firefighting equipment, and clean up equipment in case of oil spills.
As with any maritime trade, the crew on a supply boat face possible dangers whether it is from severe weather and rough seas (common for all seamen), or other risks inherently present while working with the heavy machinery on board. In addition, seamen aboard a supply boat face potential dangers posed by their employers and fellow crew members. Negligence on the part of the boat owner, captain and fellow crew members could result in dangerous conditions that may lead to serious injury or death.
As a seaman, if you are injured, you have legal protections. You may be aware of Workmen’s Compensation and perhaps even Maintenance and Cure, a right that seamen have under general maritime law. However, are you aware of the Jones Act, also know as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. Our supply boat injury lawyers at Gordon & Elias, LLP will explain what rights you have under this US law.
The Jones Act protects seamen who are injured due to negligence when working aboard American flagged vessels like crew boats and tugboats. An experienced Houston maritime attorney will help you prove your case in court, helping you to win your deserved compensation. A supply boat injury attorney will explain the difference between Maintenance and Cure and Workmen’s Compensation.
Companies decide whether an injured seaman receives Maintenance and Cure or Workmen’s Compensation. However, their decision is not binding for the seaman. Most maritime companies prefer the employee simply accepts the Workman’s Compensation benefits knowing that the injured seaman most likely doesn’t understand that he may has other rights. Companies don’t want an injured seaman to seek assistance from a maritime injury supply boat attorney.
A supply boat accident lawyer understands how devastating and costly an injury can be. An injured seaman will face numerous bills, in addition to lost wages. In severe cases, the seaman may never be able to return to his former line of work. Worse yet, if the injured seaman dies, the family is left not only grieving, but also potentially buried in bills and final expenses. It is essential to find a competent supply boat attorney who will help you or your family file for maritime Maintenance and Cure damages and Jones Act damages (if applicable).
If you have been injured as a result of negligence and are in search of a supply boat injury lawyer that will fight for you, consider Gordon & Elias, LLP, an experienced law firm in maritime law. Any supply boat injury attorney from our firm understands what happens when someone else’s negligence has catastrophic consequences. We know the struggles injured seamen and their families go through. A supply boat accident lawyer from our firm will fight for your rights to receive the best compensation guaranteed by the Jones Act.