A day spent on a recreational boat or cruise ship can bring many wonderful memories. In some cases, however, a beautiful day spent at sea can quickly turn tragic. Maritime accidents can cause serious personal injuries, whether they occur during recreational boating or while an employee is working at sea. In the most severe cases, they may even be fatal.

What Are Some Common Types of Maritime Injuries?

There are many things that can go wrong at sea, sometimes resulting in serious injuries and damages. The following are some examples:

  • An accident involving a collision, whether between two or more vessels or while striking a dock or a pier. These types of accidents may be caused by weather conditions, improper handling or driving, or negligent or reckless operation of a vessel or machinery. They can cause both internal and external physical injuries.
  • An accident where a passenger or worker goes overboard. Even the best swimmers may struggle in this situation, and it may be difficult to perform a rescue. This may result in severe personal injuries, and in the most serious cases, drowning.
  • Slip-and-fall accidents. On a boat or ship, many opportunities lurk for people to slip and hurt themselves, including conditions that include water, heavy cargo, and machinery. Slip and fall accidents may result in various bodily injuries, from breaks and fractures to head and brain injuries to spinal and back problems.
  • A maritime accident involving the workplace, whether it happens to a fisherman, seaman, oil rig employee, dockworker, or cruise ship worker. In the case of a workplace accident, specific laws may apply regarding how the employee may be able to recover compensation for their injuries, whether those be worker’s compensation laws or federal maritime laws. Maritime laws are a specific, distinct body of laws that govern various maritime issues and matters, including commerce, navigation, sailors, and transporting goods and passengers by sea.
  • Accidents suffered by cruise passengers. While a cruise is often a dream vacation, sometimes, it can turn into a nightmare of an injury. A fire can be damaging or even deadly, causing severe burns. Passengers can become injured while using the cruise ship’s amenities, whether slipping near a swimming pool or being injured while engaging in a recreational amenity. Personal assaults and sexual assaults on board can lead to lasting physical, mental, and emotional injuries. Various communicable viruses and infections can also leave lasting marks on passengers who are afflicted.

Maritime accidents can cause serious personal injuries, including broken or fractured bones, abrasions, or even the loss of digits or limbs. They can cause internal injuries and bleeding, along with soft tissue injuries. Traumatic brain injuries or head injuries are possible, as are back or spinal injuries, or even paralysis. Burns, disfigurement, scarring, and resulting chronic pain may be experienced, and in the most serious cases, drowning or wrongful death are possible.

What Should You Do If You’ve Been Involved in a Maritime Accident?

If you’ve been involved in a maritime accident, you need to act fast to preserve important evidence and investigate the accident. It is important to keep track of all documentation, reports, and witness statements, and to be able to reconstruct the events that led up to the accident.

Questions of liability and damages will most certainly be at the forefront of your claim against the parties responsible, which makes it essential to preserve evidence and understand the facts behind the accident.

You should also be sure to seek out the medical care you need in order to recover from your injuries — don’t wait to go to a hospital or visit medical professionals who can help. Then contact an experienced maritime injury lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your legal rights and options. They will work with you to investigate the facts of the accident, assess the full value of your damages, and preserve the relevant evidence you will need to prove your claims. They will help you file a claim against the parties liable for your injuries and will negotiate with the insurance companies involved toward a fair resolution.

How Can Johnson Garcia Help with Your Maritime Injury Case?

With over 35 years of combined experience, we have helped many clients with maritime injuries recover compensation, and our reviews from our clients and our track record speak for themselves. Our goal is to focus on your case so that you can focus on getting better. We negotiate on your behalf towards a favorable settlement, and even when the other party or their insurer is not negotiating fairly, we can help file a lawsuit on your behalf and take your case to trial, if needed. If you have suffered a serious injury, contact the catastrophic injury lawyers at Johnson Garcia for a free consultation.