The Impact of Getting Injured at Sea

There is no doubt that injury is a real possibility for a plethora of workers, but injuries that occur at sea are especially difficult to deal with due to the atypical schedules that many seamen work and live by. Jobs at sea are known to have longer work hours and more work days in their work week when compared to the average 9-to-5, Monday-to-Friday job. A seaman can be on the clock for weeks on end, never having a day off or an hour undisturbed without the possibility of being “called in.”

This means that when an offshore worker sustains an injury on the job, they can miss more than just a couple of days of work. For an average employee, 3 weeks of recovery only means missing 15 days of pay, but for a seaman, 3 weeks of recovery can end up being 21 days of missed pay. This is almost an extra week of pay missed for the same amount of actual calendar days. This can lead to seamen losing out on sustainable amounts of their pay (especially if their work is seasonal), and why a seaman should always have the contact information for a reputable maritime lawyer on hand.

The Increased Risks & Complications of Recovery for Seamen

It is true that there are some offshore jobs that have quick access to reputable treatment centers for disease and injury. However, this is not the case for a multitude of other offshore employment opportunities. If an average American worker starts to have chest pain from his or her job, within an hour, he or she can be under the microscope being checked out by a medical professional. However, when a seaman finds himself or herself out of commission due to a moderately serious job-related medical condition, such as chest pain, a seaman cannot afford to “push through” the pain and continue his or her work.

In fact, due to the distance a seaman may be from a reliable medical attention center, he or she should take extreme preventative measures to discontinue whatever work tasks that might be causing the pain so as to not aggravate the condition and turn it into something more serious. An employer must recognize the seriousness of such an ailment, and must afford a worker time to recuperate and allow the employee to be checked out by a doctor before asking them to continue working.

If you feel that your employer is pressuring you to continue working through an expressed ailment or is refusing your right to bring you inland to receive treatment, it is recommended that you contact one of our maritime lawyers who can help no matter where you reside in the United States to find out what legal actions you may take to keep you and your family’s’ futures safe.

Inability to Work Does Not Equal Ineligibility to Receive Compensation.

If you or a loved one has sustained a recent injury while on an offshore job, it is of the utmost importance that you contact us immediately. Based in Texas, we proudly assist seamen from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and throughout the nation. Do not believe that you are only worth compensation for the work that you do and do not hesitate to get the answers you need, your inability to work and your health are worth fighting for in a court of law.

Offshore employers need to be held accountable for their employees, and no worker should ever be left bankrupt and financially unsure when he or she can no longer work due to job-related injury. A consultation with one of our lawyers is free-of-charge, and peace of mind for you and your family is what we fight for. Call today to hear about what benefits you may be eligible for due to a work-related injury.