Oakland Maritime Lawyer

The Port of Oakland is a busy place and accounts for nearly 100,000 jobs. If you work in the Port of Oakland or on any ships that enter the port, you work in a dangerous job. Oakland maritime lawyers are available to help injured workers seek damages after accidents. 

What Is an Oakland Maritime Lawyer?

An Oakland maritime lawyer specializes in maritime law. They represent people in and around Oakland who have been involved in maritime accidents. Many of their clients are workers in the industry who are hurt in maritime jobs. These workers have a right to seek compensation, but navigating the legal system can be difficult without an expert advocate.

The Port of Oakland

The port was built in 1927 and is now the third largest and busiest in California after the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

It is the country’s fifth busiest container shipping port and is responsible for importing and exporting nearly all of the cargo that comes and goes from northern California.

The port continues to expand its cargo industry, and in 2002, it became one of the first in the world to specialize in intermodal container shipping.

There are five container terminals here, two intermodal railways, and facilities for moving cargo. Most of the international trade is with Asian countries and shipping companies.

The port is uniquely positioned to welcome ships from the Pacific Rim, from Asia to Australia and New Zealand. The port even takes in cargo and exports cargo to and from Europe. Oakland is also responsible for trade with Guam and Hawaii, including military locations.

Accidents at the Port of Oakland

Any port area and shipping channel is busy and hazardous. Oakland is bigger and busier than most, so dangers are even more present. From being out to sea, and navigating the crowded waters coming into the port to the cargo-moving areas of the port itself, all aspects of work in the maritime industry in Oakland are dangerous.

Workers here are at risk from any number of accidents, some of which may cause injuries, while others, tragically, lead to deaths.

Crane Fatality

An example of one such accident that led to the death of a port worker occurred in November of 2013. The worker was in one of the large cargo cranes, used to lift cargo to and from ships when he fell from the crane and died.

It is unknown why he was in the crane, as he was not the operator. The man was an engineer aboard a Portuguese freighter docked in the port.

It is also unknown why he fell, but the incident illustrates how simply being at great heights in a port presents a hazard and a situation that can quickly and inexplicably lead to a tragic death.

Fatal Truck Accident

Also, in 2103, another incident led to the death of a worker at the port. A longshore worker died in a truck crash. She was hauling a container at the time and was thought to have had a seizure while driving. This led her to crash into a stationary object.

The accident and its subsequent investigation closed the port for the day. Her seizure could have happened anywhere, but when it occurs in a busy port with so much equipment, cargo, and so many vehicles and machinery moving, the results are bound to be tragic.

Bridge Collision

Oakland maritime accidents don’t just occur in the port itself. Ships coming in and out must traverse the San Francisco Bay, a busy waterway. Accidents here can be severe, as in 2007 when a pilot taking a container ship into port struck a tower on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.

The accident could have caused injuries and deaths, but luckily, no one was hurt. The real tragedy was that the collision caused thousands of gallons of fuel to spill into the Bay, killing wildlife and causing an environmental disaster.

The pilot was later found to be to blame. He had been taking prescription medications that impaired his navigation ability and had told no one he was on the drug.

Fatal Fall

A longshoreman died at the Port of Oakland in 2020 after falling from the deck of a berthed container ship. According to reports, the man was struck by a lashing falling lashing rod. It caused him to fall 60 feet into the water. His legs struck the pier, and his face hit a chain, causing blunt forces that killed him.

Legal Rights for Oakland Maritime Workers

As a maritime worker in Oakland, you have rights under federal law. Maritime laws ensure that you get compensation after experiencing a workplace accident that causes you to be injured or even killed. In the latter case, the rights extend to your loved ones.

• Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. If you work in the port, you probably qualify for compensation through the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. This federal program provides a way to get money to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and other costs associated with getting better and getting back to work.

• The Jones Act. If you work on a ship and spend most of your time at sea, you most likely qualify as a seaman under the definition of the Jones Act. This law also provides compensation after an accident, but it does require that you demonstrate negligence played a role in your injuries. Doing so is not usually difficult, but you may find that your employer’s insurance company doesn’t want to pay out, and you could be facing an uphill battle to get the money you are owed.

Legal Resources in Oakland

Facing a battle with your employer for compensation after an accident is the last thing you need while trying to recover. Federal maritime laws are in place so that if this happens, you can file a claim or start a lawsuit to get your money.

The whole process can be daunting, though, especially if you have never done this before. You have to figure out which law applies to you, how to file a claim, and how to avoid mistakes that could cost you, like missing the deadline for the statute of limitations.

This is why an Oakland maritime lawyer can be your best friend. A lawyer who has studied and practiced maritime law is the expert who can guide you through the process and represent your best interests in an arbitration or trial.

Don’t fight this battle alone and miss out on the compensation you are owed. Rely on an excellent maritime lawyer to help you get everything you need to get well again and back on the job and in your everyday life.