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Washington Maritime Injuries

If the negligence of a vessel owner, maritime employer, or other maritime entity contributed to your injury, you have a right to recover damages under maritime law. The recovery you are entitled to will differ depending on your status; the lawyers at Anderson Carey Williams & Neidzwski can help you figure out the best path forward with your claim.

If you are a shoreside worker (such as a longshoreman, harbor worker or shipyard worker) injured on the job, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) most likely applies to you. This is a protection that operates under the same premise as workers’ compensation in Washington.

For seamen supporting Washington’s maritime economy (such as fishermen, barge workers, and ferry crew), a maritime injury claim may be brought under the Jones Act, the unseaworthiness doctrine, or general federal maritime law. The type of claim you can bring depends on where the injury occurred and who is liable for the injury. For instance, a seaman on a vessel near a shipyard in Seattle may have a different claim than a commercial fisherman in the North Pacific with the same injury.

Washington Maritime Injury Attorney

The state of Washington, especially the Seattle metropolitan area, is a major maritime industry hub, with over 3,200 miles of shoreline and 75 port districts. In the last two decades, ports have seen a significant increase in maritime traffic, especially cruise ship activity.

The cruise ship industry has supported the economy of the state through visitor spending, cruise operations, crew expenditures, and more. Local and small cruises provide a mix of history, culture, nature, and activities. From 2000 to 2019, the cruise industry in Seattle grew from 120,000 passengers to 1.2 million (See Port of Seattle Cruise Ship Industry 2019). This thriving maritime industry provides thousands of Washington residents with employment, but not without risk. Maritime occupations have some of the highest levels of workplace injury.

In addition to cruise ships, Washington boasts a number of maritime businesses. The Columbia and Snake Rivers are home to several barge operations, the shipbuilding industry has four major yards in Seattle, the commercial fishing industry has over 300 companies that call Washington home, and significant amounts of trade with Asia goes through the ports of the Puget Sound. The Port of Seattle and the Port of Tacoma combined make the Northwest Seaport Alliance—the third largest container complex in North America.

If you are a Washington seaman, dockworker, deckhand, officer, longshoreman, or other maritime worker and have suffered an injury on the job, the experienced Washington maritime injury lawyers of BoatLaw, LLP can evaluate your case and help determine the best recovery option for you.


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Prominent Washington State Ports

  • Port of Tacoma
  • Port of Anacortes
  • Port of Kalama
  • Port of Vancouver
  • Port of Longview
  • Port of Everett
  • Port of Olympia
  • Port of Grays Harbor
  • Port of Port Angeles
  • Port of Seattle
  • Port of Bellingham
  • Port of Pasco
  • Port of Walla-Walla
  • Port of Clarkston
  • Port of Garfield
  • Port of Benton
  • Port of Bremerton

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Important Bodies of Water in Washington

  • Baker’s Bay
  • Bellingham Bay
  • Budd Inlet
  • Carr Inlet
  • Case Inlet
  • Columbia River
  • Commencement Bay
  • Dabob Bay
  • Eld Inlet
  • Lake Washington
  • Lopez Sound
  • Lummi Bay
  • Nisqually Reach
  • Penn Cove
  • Port Orchard Bay
  • Port Susan
  • President Channel
  • uget Sound
  • Quartermaster Harbor
  • Saratoga Passage
  • Skagit Bay
  • Strait of Juan de Fuca
  • Willapa Bay

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BoatLaw, LLP | Maritime Injury Attorneys in Bellingham and Seattle

With decades of combined experience and a drive that originates from their own passion for maritime pursuits, the maritime injury lawyers of BoatLaw, LLP have what it takes to fight for maximum compensation in your case. To find out what BoatLaw, LLP can do for your maritime injury case in Washington, call 1 (800) 262-8529 today and schedule your free initial case consultation.


 

  • 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.