Slip and Fall Injuries

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, workplace slips, trips, and falls cause about 700 fatalities each year. While any workplace can be hazardous, ships are especially prone to causing workers slip and fall injuries. If you experience this accident while working on a vessel and are injured, you can file for compensation, thanks to maritime law.

Causes of Maritime Slip, Trip, and Fall Accidents

There are many reasons that slip and fall accidents occur more on ships than in other workplaces.

Unsolid Ground

The most obvious cause is the lack of real solid ground. A ship at sea is at the mercy of the water and the weather. Even in calm waters, a ship is not stationary, meaning workers must maintain balance while moving around the ship.

Falls become more likely if the wind or a large wave rocks the ship. Even an experienced seaman with solid sea legs can be caught off guard by a sudden movement and have a fall or a trip. Anyone on any ship is susceptible to losing balance and falling into a dangerous situation.

Slips on Deck

Slips on ships are also common for many reasons, one of which is water. Decks are exposed to the elements, and if it rains, snows, sleets, or waves crash onto them, the deck can get wet or even icy, depending on the temperature. These conditions can make the surface slippery, and falls are not uncommon.

If a ship deck has a non-slip surface and workers wear appropriate deck shoes, slips can be minimized but may still happen. Even with these precautions on a deck or other floor, oil or another liquid spill can turn a previously safe deck into an instant slip hazard.

Trip Hazards

While navigating the often crowded space of a ship, trip hazards are everywhere. Trips can happen even when cargo is stored properly, and equipment is where it should be. There are all kinds of obstructions on and below the deck of a ship.

Experienced ship workers know to expect these hazards and to be careful, but they may still trip and fall when in a hurry or not as cautious as they should be. Good lighting is necessary to prevent many trips. Bright painting or reflective tape can also identify hazards that are difficult to see, even in good light.

The Dangers of Maritime Slips and Trips

Both trips and slips can lead to falls, which may result in injuries ranging from mild to severe and, in the worst cases, death. There are several potential consequences of slips and trips in a maritime setting: 

• A slip or trip resulting in a fall may occur if the accident occurs on stairs or a walkway.
• A slip near the edge of the deck could also lead to a fall overboard. Falls are especially likely or dangerous if there is no guardrail or a broken guardrail on a walkway, stairway, or deck.
• Some falls are not very serious, but others can involve falling from great heights onto a deck or into the water.
• The consequences can be especially severe if no one is there to see the worker fall and provide assistance.

Common Slip and Fall Injuries

These kinds of accidents can lead to a variety of injuries. For the lucky workers, the accident may only cause a stubbed toe or a few bruises. Unfortunately, slips, trips, and falls lead to more severe injuries or fatalities for many other workers on ships.

Some of the types of injuries that may result from these onboard accidents include:

• Bruises
• Cuts and scrapes
• Ankle or wrist sprains
• Broken bones
• Torn ligaments
• Head, neck, and back injuries
• Concussions
• Spinal cord injuries
• Paralysis
• Coma

Examples of Maritime Slip and Fall Accidents

Over the years, there have been countless incidents of slips or trips resulting in falls, injuries, or fatalities aboard ships, including those involving crew members and passengers.

Broken Bones in Cruise Ship Fall

In one such case in 2009, a passenger aboard a Carnival cruise ship slipped on a new resin surface on the pool deck and fell. The passenger suffered from a broken patella, or knee cap, and had multiple surgeries to correct the damage.

The cruise line was found liable as it was proven that they knew the surface was too slippery. The woman was awarded significant damages.

Oily Surface

In another incident, a worker on a barge slipped and fell on a surface covered with petroleum products.

He was transferring oil from one barge to another when he slipped on the surface and got a foot stuck between the hose and a rail. In trying to disentangle himself, he slipped again and struck his knee on the hard surface.

The worker suffered painful injuries and was unable to return to work. The incident underscores the importance of keeping surfaces on and near ships clean and dry. Slipping on dirty surfaces, especially where oil products are used, is easy, and the consequences can be far-reaching.

Overboard Fall

Cruise ships are often the setting for tragic falls overboard. Many things could precipitate a fall, including tripping over an obstacle, going over the guardrail, or slipping and falling over the edge. Sometimes, these falls overboard are more sinister and may be criminal acts.

For instance, in 2015, a man fell overboard and couldn’t be found, even after searching for hours. The circumstances were suspicious. The man had been drinking and arguing with someone else.

Legal Rights for Maritime Slip and Fall Victims

For workers who have experienced slip and fall accidents or trips that led to falls, there are rights under federal maritime law that guarantee they can seek compensation.

Even if no one can be found to be at fault for an incident, maritime workers are entitled to some compensation to cover medical bills and living expenses until they can return to work.

The Jones Act is also a federal maritime law that can be used in negligence cases. If you are injured after slipping or tripping at work on a ship and believe your employer’s negligence contributed to it, you could be entitled to compensation through this law.

If you have been denied the money you think your employer or your insurer owes you, you can file a Jones Act claim to challenge them.

It isn’t always easy to interpret these laws and situations, so if you are injured from a slip and fall, contact an experienced maritime attorney to represent you and help you get the money you deserve.