Despite being surrounded by the ocean, burns remain one of the most common injuries sustained by maritime workers. Working on shipping vessels, oil rigs and commercial fishing boats exposes a seaman to many fire hazards. As a result, seaman who sustain burn injuries will be out of work and left with costly medical bills.
As an injured seaman, the vessel owner will now see you as a liability. They will act quickly to minimize your rights to compensation. Your right to compensation is greater than you understand. Contact an experienced maritime attorney if you have been injuries while on the job.
Maritime Burn Injury Attorney in Oregon, Washington, California and Alaska
You will need legal counsel with vast knowledge and experience representing injured maritime workers. You have a right to compensation for your injuries. BOATLAW, LLP will fight to ensure you receive what is necessary for a successful recovery.
Call 1-800-262-8529 to schedule a confidential consultation. BOATLAW, LLP represents injured maritime workers in Oregon, Washington, California and Alaska.
Information Center
- Types of Burn Injuries
- Common Causes of Burn Injuries
- What is Maintenance and Cure?
- Additional Resources
Types of Burn Injuries
No matter how the injury occurred, burns can cause lasting damage. Burn injuries can range from mild to life-altering depending on the degree of the injury. Listed below are the types of burn injuries sustained by maritime workers:
- First-degree burns: This is the least severe type of burn. This burn is usually on the surface of the skin and doesn’t require medical attention. A first-degree burn may cause irritation, redness and pain.
- Second-degree burns: This degree of burn affects the first and second layers of the skin. The burn will often look wet or moist and painful blisters may develop.
- Third and fourth-degree burns: Third and fourth-degree burns are the most severe degree of burns. Third-degree burns extend through the skin while fourth-degree burns extend beneath the skin. These types of burns will typically require wound closure and skin grafts. They also take much longer to heal than other burns.
Third and fourth-degree burns cause the most lasting damage. When a burn is this severe, it can lead to additional complication if not treated properly. Some of these complications include infections, joint problems, sepsis, hypervolemia and hypothermia.
Treating severe burns becomes costly fast. Hospital cost alone for a third or fourth-degree burn can cost into the six-figure range. Since the injury likely put you out of work, you will be left figuring out how to cover these costs. It is vital you contact a maritime attorney so you can recover financial compensating for your injuries.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries
A fire can ignite in almost all offshore environments. A vessel may be surrounded by water, but a fire can quickly occur as a result of the following circumstances:
- Explosions
- Electrical Accidents
- Engine room fires
- Contact with hazardous chemicals
- Equipment malfunctions
- Kitchen Accidents
What is Maintenance and Cure?
You have the right to maintenance and cure if you were injured while working on a vessel at sea or on shore. Maintenance is the cost of everyday living expenses while cure covers medical costs. As an injured seaman, you are eligible for this form of compensation if your employer was negligent or the vessel was unseaworthy.
Maintenance and cure is a right, but employers have been known to avoid making payments, delay payment or make lower payments. Employers are also notorious for blaming injuries on anything other than their negligence to avoid making maintenance and cure payments.
Contact a maritime lawyer immediately if you are having a difficult time obtaining the funds you need to fully recover. Punitive damages may be available if your employer willfully withheld maintenance and cure. Compensation for attorney’s fees may also be available if it shown your employer unreasonably denied your rights to compensation.
Additional Resources for Burn Injuries
The Jones Act – Follow the link provided to learn more about the Jones Act. You can read through the section governing maintenance and cure for injured sea workers and learn about how a vessel should be properly owned and maintained.
Maritime Liability | United States Code – Visit the official website of Cornell Law School to read the subsection of the U.S. Code over maritime liability. You can learn about the liability of water carriers, suits involving public vessels and suits against the United States Government.
Maritime Burn Injury Lawyer in Oregon, Washington, California and Alaska
BOATLAW, LLP has over 40 years of experience handling all types of maritime personal injury cases. Let us put our experience to work for you. Call 1-800-262-8529 to schedule a confidential consultation.
BOATLAW, LLP represents injured sea workers in states along the West Coast including Oregon, Washington, California and Alaska.
