Long Island Barge Accident Lawyer
The waterways around New York City are some of the busiest in the entire world in both private and commercial terms, and barges play a crucial role in many of the latter types of operations. However, just like any other type of maritime travel, riding and/or working on a moving barge can be dangerous if everyone onboard does not follow safety precautions and act responsibly at their posts, and especially if someone operating another nearby vessel causes a collision through their own irresponsible behavior.
If you suffered harm on the job while working aboard an active barge, you may have unique options for financial recovery, but you could struggle to take full advantage of them without guidance from a skilled seaman injury attorney. A Long Island barge accident lawyer from our team could help you pursue compensation more effectively and keep procedural or legal obstacles from standing in your way.
Does the Jones Act Cover Barge Workers?
While most land-based employees in New York State fall under workers’ compensation insurance governed by state law, maritime workers usually fall under one of two federal laws that function similarly to traditional workers’ comp. As a barge worker, you may qualify for benefits under the Jones Act, a law enacted in 1920 to protect those who spend most of their working hours away from land aboard an active commercial vessel.
However, to qualify for Jones Act benefits after a barge accident, you must show that you suffered harm while your vessel moved through a navigable waterway, that you spend at least 30 percent of your working hours onboard such an active vessel, and that your job duties directly contribute to the vessel’s normal operation. An attorney from our Long Island legal team can help you determine what your best path towards financial recovery is during a confidential consultation.
Seeking Reimbursement for Short-Term and Long-Term Losses
Under the Jones Act, seamen injured on the job have the right to receive maintenance and cure to cover certain living expenses while they are unable to work. You can also seek reimbursement for lost wages, medical expenses, and certain other out-of-pocket costs stemming from your injuries.
Furthermore, you have the right to file suit against your employer over negligence, which contributed to causing your work-related injury—a right which traditional workers’ comp claimants notably do not have. Through such a claim, our barge injury lawyers in Long Island may be able to help you recover compensation for various losses not covered by Jones Act benefits, including physical pain, psychological distress, and lost enjoyment of life connected to a permanent disability.
Speak with a Long Island Barge Accident Attorney About Legal Options
Employment aboard an active barge in waterways as crowded as the Hudson River or Long Island Sound can be physically hazardous, even if you are as responsible on the job as anyone possibly could be. Fortunately, you have unique legal protections available to you as a maritime worker that employees in other industries do not have, and making the most of those protections can be key to keeping your life on track after a work-related injury.
A Long Island barge accident lawyer from our team has extensive experience representing workers in cases similar to yours. Contact us today to learn how that knowledge could support your claim.
