Were you injured in a maritime accident near The Woodlands, TX? If so, don’t hesitate to call Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers at 346-534-7242 for a free consultation. Our maritime accident lawyers in The Woodlands can help you understand your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers was founded to protect the rights and futures of injured Texans – especially those who put their lives on the line every day in dangerous maritime jobs. With over 45 years of combined experience, we’ve helped accident victims and families win tens of millions of dollars in financial settlements and jury awards at trial. We can help you make the most of your maritime accident case, too.
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Why Choose Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers to Help Me After My Maritime Accident Near The Woodlands?
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers does more than level the playing field between maritime workers, their employers, and insurance companies. Our personal injury lawyers in The Woodlands possess the resources and skills necessary to provide a competitive advantage. With over 1,000 five-star Google reviews, we have a reputation for delivering high-quality legal representation and fostering long-lasting relationships with our clients.
Our commitment to exceptional client service and our multi-million-dollar track record of success have earned members of our legal team the following titles and recognitions:
- Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
- Members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- 10.0 rating on Avvo
Maritime injury litigation is a highly complicated area of the law. If you have been in an accident in The Woodlands, Texas, we are here to support you.
Contact our maritime accident attorneys in The Woodlands to arrange a free case review.
What Is My Maritime Injury Case Worth?
The value of your maritime injury case will ultimately depend on the unique facts and circumstances surrounding the accident and your resulting injuries.
Various factors that can influence the value of your claim include:
- What type of maritime accident were you involved in?
- What types of injuries have you suffered?
- How long will you be out of work?
- Will you suffer a permanent impairment or disability?
- What’s the nature of your job?
- What maritime laws can you use to pursue compensation for your damages?
- Do you share responsibility for the maritime accident?
- What’s your earning capacity?
- What was your average wage before you got hurt?
Generally, more severe injuries are associated with higher potential financial awards. However, certain types of benefits are capped at a specific monetary value. We can help you evaluate all these factors and give you an estimate of the value of your claim.
What Maritime Laws Might Help Me Get Compensation After an Accident?
Federal maritime law has several functions – including providing injured maritime workers with the opportunity to seek monetary benefits when they’re injured on the job. Not all maritime workers are covered by the same maritime laws. Your job and your job responsibilities will influence which ones you can use to seek compensation for work-related injuries.
The Jones Act
The Jones Act provides two different ways for injured seamen to recover compensation after maritime accidents:
- Receiving maintenance and cure benefits to offset medical bills and daily expenses; and/or
- Suing an employer for negligence or injuries related to an unseaworthy vessel.
The Jones Act only applies to maritime workers who can be classified as seamen. A seaman is a worker who is employed by a vessel in navigation, spends at least 30 percent of their working hours on board that vessel, and whose role contributes to the vessel’s function or operation.
Seamen tend to include deckhands, chefs, crew members, ship captains, engineers, and, in some cases, oil rig workers.
Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act
The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) offers monetary benefits to workers not covered by the Jones Act.
Under the LHWCA, benefits can be paid for:
- Medical bills
- Temporary disability
- Permanent disability
- Death benefits
No compensation for pain and suffering or other non-economic damages can be awarded. Until recently, oil rig workers didn’t qualify for benefits under the LHWCA. However, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) extends benefits to oil rig workers who are injured on fixed rigs on the outer continental shelf.
Death on High Seas Act
When a maritime accident more than three miles off the coast is fatal, surviving family members can bring a wrongful death claim under the Death on the High Seas Act to recover compensation for their loss.
Only economic damages, like lost financial support, job earnings, and retirement benefits, can be awarded under a Death on the High Seas Act claim.
Texas Personal Injury Law
Maritime workers in The Woodlands can also potentially pursue damages through a civil lawsuit under Texas state law – especially if the accident happened at a Texas port or on land. Through a civil maritime accident lawsuit, both economic damages and non-economic damages, including those for pain and suffering, can be sought.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Maritime Accident Attorney in The Woodlands, TX?
We will advocate for you on a contingency fee basis, meaning that we only get paid if we win compensation for you. Our fees are simply a percentage of whatever money we’ve obtained on your behalf. If we aren’t successful in securing monetary benefits or damages on your behalf, you’ll pay absolutely nothing for our legal representation.
Can I Be Compensated for Maritime Injuries if I’m Partly to Blame for the Accident?
It depends. Comparative fault will affect some maritime injury claims, but not others. It varies from case to case.
Comparative fault works differently depending on the claim. Under the Jones Act, your compensation may be reduced based on your percentage of fault.
Under Texas state law, modified comparative fault may limit or bar your recovery from a personal injury lawsuit depending on how much responsibility is assigned to you.
On the other hand, workers’ compensation benefits sought under the LHWCA won’t be affected by comparative fault.
It’s important to hire an experienced litigator to represent you so that potentially challenging issues like liability won’t stand between you and a meaningful financial recovery.
We Handle a Wide Range of Maritime Accident Cases
Every year, Texans are injured and killed in all types of maritime accidents, including:
- Commercial fishing accidents
- Offshore oil & gas accidents
- Drilling accidents
- Dredging accidents
- Barge accidents
- Ship collisions
- Tugboat accidents
- Shipbuilding accidents
- Cruise ship accidents
- Fires and explosions
- Slip and fall accidents
- Electrocution accidents
- Port accidents
We know how difficult a maritime injury can be and the challenges you’re likely to face as you pursue compensation, but we can walk you through every step of the legal process.
How Long Will I Have to Seek Compensation After a Maritime Accident in Texas?
The statute of limitations depends on which law(s) you’re using to pursue compensation for your maritime accident injuries.
Typically, the deadlines are as follows:
- The Jones Act: 3 years
- LHWCA: 1 year (with a 30-day notice requirement)
- Death on the High Seas Act: 3 years
- Texas state law: 2 years
You have to file your lawsuit within the applicable statute of limitations. If the statute of limitations expires, you will likely be barred from recovering compensation for your claim.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Maritime Accident Lawyer in The Woodlands
Maritime injuries can be painful and costly, but you don’t have to struggle with the consequences alone. Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers is here for you. We’re award-winning Texas litigators with a proven ability to win tough cases and achieve top case results. Our legal team has secured tens of millions of dollars for our clients by standing up to powerful corporations and government agencies.
Reach out to our maritime accident attorneys in The Woodlands to arrange a free consultation.
