Admiralty Lawyer & Attorney

Admiralty Law - How it Affects You

When people hear the term "admiralty law," most think that this is a term that has nothing to do with them whatsoever. However, that notion could not be further from the truth. Admiralty law is an area of law that covers just about anything having to do with the sea, and even if you're hundreds of miles from the nearest large body of water, your life is influenced by these laws.

Specifically, this writing will deal with the relationship between admiralty law and personal injury, as there are specific situations in which the two converge. In the meantime, if you have suffered for any reason at sea, contact an admiralty lawyer at Williams Kherkher today to schedule an initial consultation.

Injured Sea Workers

There is a specific law that covers workers who are injured at sea, and it's known as the Jones Act. The Jones Act has been in existence for decades, and it's an incredibly large body of legislation that covers much more than just injured workers. However, the Jones Act is also a critical piece of legislation that protects those workers from unnecessary hardship after they've suffered physically, financially and emotionally.

The particular item of interest in regards to the Jones Act is the way in which it subtly incorporates the intent of workers' compensation laws into its tenets. For instance, when a sea worker is injured, he or she is entitled to cure and maintenance payments until he or she can return to work. These payments are meant to provide the means for medical care and day to day living while the recovery process is happening.

Injured Sea Passengers

Millions of people every year take cruises or board ships for other reasons. As we all understand, the sea can be extremely volatile, and sea changes and surprise storms can cast any ship, no matter the size, into a tailspin. Not to mention, there have been a large number of negligence claims brought against cruise lines for everything ranging from serving bad food to negligent ship navigation that led the ship off course and into trouble.

The biggest technical question regarding injured sea passengers is jurisdiction, particularly if the injuries occurred outside of American waters. That, along with any other questions in this regard can be answered for you if you contact an admiralty lawyer at Williams Kherkher today to schedule a free initial consultation.