Los Angeles Maritime Lawyer

As one of the largest and busiest ports in the country and the world, Port of Los Angeles workers face more risks than most port employees. If you work here, know you have a right to compensation if you get injured. If you do get hurt, rely on the help of an experienced Los Angeles maritime lawyer for the best results. 

The Port of Los Angeles

The bustling Port of Los Angeles is located about 25 miles south of the downtown area of Los Angeles and is officially known as America’s Port.

The port covers about 7,500 acres of land with 43 miles of California waterfront. There are 27 terminals here for various ships, from passenger and cruise ships to the biggest container ships in the world. The port also has 16 marinas for recreational and charter boats.

Cargo is the major industry here, with nearly $300 billion worth of cargo each year coming in and out of the port. The volume of containers in the port outranks any other port in the U.S. and is the 19th highest in the world.

When combined with the neighboring Port of Long Beach, this is the ninth-largest port in the world. The biggest imports here are furniture, auto parts, and apparel, while the significant exports are paper, animal feed, and scrap metal.

Port of Los Angeles Accidents

The port is a dangerous place to work. There are huge cranes lifting containers and other heavy cargo, forklifts, tractors, and trucks crisscrossing the port, toxic liquid cargo, huge warehouses full of cargo and machinery, and of course, the water in the harbor itself.

Accidents can range from falls into the water to falls from walkways, being struck by cranes or cargo, truck and tractor accidents, and exposure to toxic chemicals. Not all accidents cause injuries, but many do and even lead to deaths.

Drowning

Some examples of such tragic fatalities in the port occurred in 2013. A worker at the Port of Los Angeles was driving a tractor when it fell into the water near one of the ship berths. It was not determined why it went into the water, but the worker became trapped in the cab and could not be rescued in time.

Fatal Tractor Accidents

At the Port of Long Beach in 2010, another worker died in a tractor accident. Driving cargo from one point to another, the worker was struck by another tractor, was ejected from his seat, and was run over and killed.

Yet another utility tractor accident occurred in 2015 and killed a longshore worker. He had been driving a truck when he was struck by a tractor.

It was thought that the collision caused him to hit his head on the truck’s windshield, leading to his death. The other worker, driving the tractor, was injured but was treated at the hospital and recovered.

Cargo Accident

Truck and tractor collisions and accidents are not the only incidents that injure and kill port workers. Cargo and the equipment used to lift it also often cause injuries and fatalities.

Such was the case in 2014 when a worker died after being struck in the head by a moving piece of equipment. He was a crew member working on a ship docked when the equipment used to move the cargo swung out and hit him in the head. He died soon after from blunt force trauma.

Legal Rights for Los Angeles Maritime Workers

If you are injured on the job in the port or on a ship, you have legal resources to help you get the compensation that will get you back to work. If you die, your loved ones have those same resources available to them.

• If you are a seaman, the Jones Act gives you the right to sue your employer if you are being denied money after an accident and negligence was involved.
• Seamen also have rights under maintenance and cure and the doctrine of unseaworthiness.
• If you work in the port, you may not qualify as a seaman, but you likely can get money through the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act.

It is not always easy to know which law applies to you and how to leverage them to get the compensation you need. There are forms to fill out, statutes of limitations, and high-paid lawyers to face.

If you work with a Los Angeles maritime lawyer, you can avoid the mistakes and pitfalls that may cause you to lose out on compensation. Trust this expert to guide and represent you in the fight to get your money.