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Mobile Maritime Injury Lawyer

Were you or a loved one hurt in a maritime accident off the coast of Mobile, AL? You could be entitled to compensation–but maritime injury cases can quickly become complicated. An experienced Mobile maritime injury lawyer at Lattof & Lattof, P.C. can fight to make sure you get the full compensation you deserve.

For more than 65 years, our law firm has stood up to protect accident victims’ rights across Alabama. We know the stakes are high if you’re injured–and we’ll do everything possible to enforce your legal right to compensation.

If you were hurt, you probably have a million questions. Call our law offices in Mobile, Alabama, today to schedule a free consultation.

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How Lattof & Lattof, P.C. Can Help if You’ve Suffered a Maritime Injury in Mobile

Mobile is less than three hours from the open sea. Understandably, maritime industries form a huge part of Mobile’s economy. Sometimes those industries create dangerous conditions for both workers and passengers.

If you were hurt on a fishing boat, cruise ship, dock, or shipyard, maritime laws may apply in your case. These cases can be tricky. You’ll have to know which laws apply to your injury claim–and what you have to do to recover compensation. Our experienced Mobile personal injury lawyers at Lattof & Lattof, P.C. are here to help.

When you hire us to protect your rights, you can rest assured that your attorney will:

Identify all maritime laws that could provide compensation in your case
Investigate to determine causation and establish liability
Fight back if someone tries to blame you for getting hurt
Negotiate with insurance companies to make sure you get the fair compensation you deserve
Protect you from any retaliation or pressure to return to work before you’re ready

Maritime injury cases can be brought in state or federal court. While federal courts have primary jurisdiction, you can hire a Mobile personal injury attorney to handle your case.

Our personal injury firm has more than 100 years of collective experience.

We’re prepared to put that experience to work in our fight to recover the maximum available compensation in your case. Are you interested in learning more about establishing an attorney client relationship?

What is My Mobile Maritime Injury Case Worth?

You might already be struggling financially if you were hurt on the job. It’s understandable that you’re probably wondering what your personal injury case is worth–and how long it might take to settle.

That all depends on the specific facts of your case.

The value of your injury claim will typically depend on:

The nature and severity of your injuries
How long you’re off the job
Whether you have any permanent disabilities
The extent of medical treatment required to treat the injury
Your pain and suffering

At Lattof & Lattof, P.C., we’ll dig deep to find out what caused your accident and injuries. We’ll also stand up for your rights if your boss tries to pressure you into returning to work before you’re ready. Don’t hesitate to reach out for legal advice if you have any questions about getting fair compensation for your injuries.

What Types of Damages Are Available to Maritime Injury Victims?

Maritime injury cases are particularly complex because a number of different laws may apply. The applicable law can impact the types of damages that are available to victims.

The Jones Act

The Jones Act, also known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, is a federal law that extends general state personal injury laws to seamen who are injured or killed on the job. Jones Act protections apply if you did most of your work on the vessel itself.

If the Jones Act applies, you could be entitled to compensation for both economic and non-economic losses, including damages for:

Past and future bills
Past and future lost wages
Diminished earning capacity
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
And more

In other words, injured seamen may be entitled to the same types of damages that are available to victims of car accidents or slip and falls–if you can prove that someone else’s negligence caused the injuries.

General Maritime Laws

Owners of vessels are required to provide safe, seaworthy conditions for workers under general maritime laws. If you were hurt because the vessel was unseaworthy, you could be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

You could even hold the responsible party accountable for punitive damages.

Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act

The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) provides compensation for medical bills if you were hurt working on a dock, wharf, pier, terminal, or another area where vessels load and unload cargo and passengers.

If this federal law applies, you can also recover disability benefits to make up for your lost wages while you recover. Workers who can’t return to the same line of work also qualify for vocational rehabilitation.

Maintenance and Cure

Maintenance and cure compensates seamen and offshore workers for the cost of their room and board while they recover on land. It also covers your medical expenses.

You can receive payment for maintenance and cure until you’re fit to return to work–or until you’ve reached maximum medical improvement.

We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Maritime Injuries

At Lattof & Lattof, P.C., we’ll fight to recover fair compensation for all of your maritime injuries.

Victims of maritime accidents often suffer:

Traumatic brain injuries
Back injuries
Broken bones
Burn injuries
Spinal cord injuries
Crushing injuries
Head and neck injuries
Concussions
Organ damage
Amputations
Paralysis
Drowning
Hypothermia
Wrongful death

If you were hurt in a maritime accident, don’t leave money on the table. Contact our offices today to learn more about your legal rights.

What Causes Most Maritime Injuries in Mobile, Alabama?

Maritime accidents can happen at sea or on dry land. Unfortunately, most maritime accidents happen because someone was careless. Cutting corners can increase profit margins for maritime employers–and some businesses are willing to put your safety in jeopardy to make an extra buck.

Some of the most common causes of maritime injuries in Mobile are:

Defective or malfunctioning equipment
Failure to follow maritime industry safety regulations
Worker fatigue and overworking
Negligent hiring practices–or failure to properly screen and train workers
Drug or alcohol use
Lack of proper safety protocols
Unsafe work conditions

Employers in Alabama are responsible for the negligent acts of their employees. Maritime injury cases are also handled differently than onshore workers’ compensation claims. In other words, you could have rights outside the scope of the Alabama workers’ compensation laws.

At Lattof & Lattof, P.C., we represent all injured maritime workers in the gulf coast area, including those who were hurt on or in:

Fishing boats
Shrimp boats
Docks, wharves, or piers
Shipyards
Cruise ships
Offshore oil rigs
Cargo ships
Personal watercrafts
And more

If you were hurt, reach out today to learn more about how we can help fight to recover damages in your case.

How Do I Prove Negligence After a Maritime Accident in Alabama?

Most personal injury victims have to prove negligence to recover compensation. Maritime law is a combination of common law rules and specific statutes that apply only to maritime workers.

To establish your right to compensation, you’ll have to prove:

Where the accident happened (onshore, offshore, on the vessel itself, etc.)
Your status at the time of the injury (harbor worker, longshoreman, seamen, passenger, etc.)

Some maritime injury victims don’t have to establish negligence at all. In other cases, you will have to prove negligence according to common law rules.

Proving negligence means offering evidence that your employer or the responsible party:

Owed you a duty of care
Breached that duty
Caused your injuries
Caused you to suffer damages

Proving negligence in a maritime accident case isn’t always easy. At Lattof & Lattof, P.C., we’ll get to the bottom of what happened in your case. All you have to do is call our attorneys in Mobile for a free case review today.

How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit if I Sustained a Maritime Injury in Alabama?

It’s important to understand the statute of limitations that applies in your personal injury case. The statute of limitations is the deadline for filing your maritime injury lawsuit.

Most personal injury victims have two years to file a lawsuit in Alabama civil court. However, the Jones Act statute of limitations gives you three years to file your injury claim. The LHWCA only gives victims one year to file a claim.

We highly recommend speaking with an experienced maritime accident attorney if you were hurt offshore or working near the ports in Mobile. If you miss the applicable deadline, you could miss out on your right to compensation. Call Lattof & Lattof, P.C. anytime to learn more.

Contact a Mobile Maritime Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Regardless of whether you were hurt offshore, working on a vessel, or in the port of Mobile, you could be entitled to compensation. Call an experienced Mobile maritime injury lawyer at Lattof & Lattof, P.C. for help navigating the complex legal process.

As always, your initial consultation is 100% free of charge. We represent clients in Mobile, Mobile County, and Baldwin County.