Representing People Injured on Vessels or Harbors
Maritime jobs are among the most dangerous occupations in the world. To protect seamen, harbor workers and their families, the federal government has enacted special laws such as the Jones Act and The Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act that provide compensation to the injured and to the family members of those killed.
At the law firm of Shuttleworth, Ruloff, Swain, Haddad & Morecock, P.C. in Virginia Beach, Virginia, our lawyers have the knowledge to protect your rights if you or a family member has been injured at sea or while working on a harbor or body of water in Virginia, including the Elizabeth River, James River, Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean, Hampton Roads, Norfolk International Terminal and Virginia International Terminal.
Unseaworthiness claims: Under the Jones Act, you can be compensated even if the accident was partially your fault, as long as the vessel you were injured on is considered unseaworthy. A lack of a safety cable or other equipment can render a vessel unseaworthy. The Jones Act provides maintenance and cure (wage replacement and medical care) for seaman who are injured due to vessel unseaworthiness. To protect your rights to full compensation, contact a lawyer as soon as possible.
Trial Experienced. Trial Ready.
Our firm includes several of the Virginia's most respected trial lawyers. Here are some examples of the results our lawyers have obtained in maritime and seaman injury cases:
(Case results depend on a variety of factors unique to each case. These results do not guarantee a similar result in a future case.)
- $750,000 for a tug boat operator who was ordered to attempt to hook up an anchor buoy despite his protest that it was dangerous to do it from the bow.
- $250,000 for a seaman who injured his back after slipping on fluid on the deck of a trawler.
- $1 million for a shipworker who suffocated to death during fire alarm repairs as a result of the discharge of carbon dioxide into the hold of the ship.
- $1.5 million for a seaman whose heels were shattered because a barge was missing a safety cable.
Free Attorney Consultation
To discuss your Jones Act, The Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, or other seaman personal injury claim with a lawyer at Shuttleworth, Ruloff, Swain, Haddad & Morecock, P.C., call 757-671-6000 or fill out the contact form on this Web site.
