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Broken Bones

With the heavy equipment on a ship or harbor, the climbing often required for a seaman to do his or her duties, slippery decks, and other hazards, broken bones can be common on a ship or while working on a dock. Numerous accidents can lead to a fracture, which can be minor or lead to long-term disability. If you are a maritime employee who suffered from a broken bone or bone due to the negligence or wrongful acts of your employer or other crew members, it is critical that you exercise your right to recover.

Washington, California, Oregon, and Alaska Maritime Lawyer for Broken Bones

If you have suffered a fracture while working on a maritime job, you could be eligible to recover under the Jones Act or another law pertaining to those who work at sea. A skilled maritime lawyer can help you identify your options, and help you get the compensation you deserve. Call Anderson Carey Williams & Neidzwski, PLLC today at 1 (800) 262-8529 to schedule a consultation to discuss your case.

We represent maritime workers throughout the Pacific Northwest, including in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and California.

Information on Maritime Fractures

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Severity of Fractures At Sea

Bones can be broken in several ways. The severity of the break will often depend on what happens when it fractures.

  • Compound: The bone breaks through the skin. These can be very severe, with blood loss and infection likely.
  • Hairline: This is a small crack in the bone.
  • Complicated: A break may be complicated if it damages other organs, including nerves or veins.
  • Comminuted: This type of break means the bone is shattered or broken into small pieces.
  • Avulsion: Tendons connect muscles to bones. An avulsion fracture means the tendons have detached, often pulling out a portion of the bone.
  • Compression: Occurs when a bone collapse. Compression fractures usually occur in short bones, like vertebrate.
  • Stable Fracture: The broken ends of the bone line up and are barely out of place.

The severity of a break may often depend on the particular bone injured. A fractured femur, tibia, humerus, clavicle, rib, skull or pelvis will all have different manifestations.

Broken bones may cause a person to be out of work for a long period of time because of their severity. Fractures at and around joints can lead to long-term disability and mobility problems, which may affect future ability to work.

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Negligence and Wrongful Acts Leading to Broken Bones

The Jones Act allows seamen who have suffered injuries on the job due to the negligence or wrongful acts of an employer seek compensation. This includes the negligence and wrongful acts of other employees at the workplace.

If a fellow crew member mishandled equipment and caused an accident that resulted in broken bones, for example, you may be able to recover under the Jones Act. If your employer did not have proper procedures that led to you experiencing a fracture, you may be able to recover. If your employer did not have the proper medical equipment to immobilize a broken bone, you may also be able to recover.

If you do not fulfill the requirements of the Jones Act, there may be another law under which you may recover. Contact a skilled attorney to discuss your options.

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Anderson Carey Williams & Neidzwski, PLLC | Attorney in Washington, Oregon, Alaska or California for Fractures at Sea

If you have suffered from a broken bone while working at sea, you may have a right to receive compensation for your injuries. An experienced maritime lawyer at Anderson Carey Williams & Neidzwski, PLLC can help you. Contact us today at 1 (800) 262-8529 to schedule a free consultation.

This article was last updated on Wednesday July 25, 2018.

Client Testimonials

  • The Maritime Law Association of The United States
    The Maritime Law Association of the United States (MLA) was founded in 1899. Its formation was prompted by the organization, some three years earlier, of the International Maritime Committee.
  • Washington State Bar Association
    The Washington State Bar Association operates under the delegated authority of the Washington Supreme Court to license the state's nearly 40,000 lawyers and other legal professionals.
  • Oregon State Bar
    The Oregon State Bar is a government agency in the U.S. state of Oregon. Founded in 1890 as the private Oregon Bar Association, it became a public entity in 1935 that regulates the legal profession.
  • Alaska Bar Association
    The Alaska Bar Association is a mandatory bar association responsible to the Alaska Supreme Court for the admission and discipline process of attorneys for the State of Alaska.