The Port of San Francisco in California is unique, but like all other ports, it is a busy and dangerous workplace. Accidents in ports and on ships are not uncommon, and they often lead to injuries and even the deaths of workers. San Francisco maritime lawyers are standing by to help people like you figure out what to do after a workplace accident.
What Is a San Francisco Maritime Lawyer?
A San Francisco maritime lawyer specializes in maritime law. They work with people involved in maritime accidents in and around San Francisco. Many of their clients are maritime workers who were hurt on the job and, in some cases, the families of workers killed on the job.
Get Matched with a Leading Maritime Attorney in Your Area
- Find the leading maritime lawyers in your area
- Discover how to get compensation as fast as possible
- Learn your legal rights as an injured maritime worker
A maritime lawyer is your best chance of recovering damages after a maritime accident. Maritime law is complicated and difficult to navigate without representation.
The Port of San Francisco
The nearby Port of Oakland is the powerhouse container and cargo port for the Bay area, but the Port of San Francisco also has a piece of the industry.
The cargo terminal has five deep-water berths, and the port offers shipping lines easy access to barge and tug boat services, warehouses and cold storage, and even ship repair.
The port is also home to many commercial vessels, cruise ships, ferries, and recreational boats. You can take a ferry from the port to Alcatraz, the famous prison, or head across the Bay to inland cities.
The port stretches from the Golden Gate Bridge to Candlestick Point Recreation Area, eight miles of coast that includes tourist destinations Fisherman’s Wharf and the Embarcadero, which is on the National Register of Historic Places and home to the Ferry Market.
San Francisco’s Maritime Accidents
The Port of San Francisco and the waters nearby in the ocean and the San Francisco Bay are dangerous workplaces. Numerous accidents have occurred here, some on ships in the water and others in the port.
While some accidents are minor and cause no serious problems, others have led to major financial disasters, environmental issues, and worker injuries and deaths. Maritime accidents are almost always caused by some factor that could have been prevented.
Tanker-Bridge Collision
One such accident, a financial and environmental disaster, occurred in 2007 when an oil tanker struck a tower on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.
Fortunately, no one was hurt in the disaster, but thousands of gallons of oil spilled into the Bay and caused untold harm to wildlife.
Investigations found that the pilot guiding the ship through the Bay was taking prescription drugs that impaired his ability to pilot the ship well and had not notified anyone that he was on the medication.
Cargo Spill
A similar but less disastrous accident occurred when a container ship leaving the Port of San Francisco and heading for Seattle lost some of its cargo overboard.
All the containers floated in the Bay, and one even washed up on shore. The containers were falling into the water because of bad weather and poor securing measures.
The crew took the proper steps to warn other vessels that containers were in the water. No one was hurt, and the floating containers did not damage any ships.
Commercial Fishing Accident
Commercial fishing is a big industry in the San Francisco area, and a tragic accident occurred in 2006 when the fishing boat Relentless left the port for Half Moon Bay and never returned.
Some pieces of the boat were later found, and investigators know that the crew had filled the boat with fish from the Bay and then started to return to the port when they disappeared without any distress call.
Official investigations couldn’t find an answer to what happened, but loved ones of the men on board believe that the fishing vessel was the victim of a hit and run by a tanker. Such collisions have occurred in the busy shipping channel, but the proof is hard to find.
Port Fatality
Sometimes, the accidents that lead to deaths in maritime work are not as catastrophic as collisions and sinking, demonstrating how dangerous every aspect of these jobs is.
For instance, in 2015, a commercial fisherman died when he fell from a pier getting into his fishing boat. He hit his head on the pier’s edge in his fall and likely was knocked unconscious. His body was found later under the dock.
Compensation for Maritime Workers
If you work in the maritime industry in San Francisco, a maritime lawyer is an excellent resource after an accident. On-the-job injuries can lead to costly medical bills and possibly the inability to earn a wage during your recovery.
If this happens to you, laws are in place to ensure you can get compensation to cover these costs. Maritime laws cover all maritime workers, but knowing which law targets you and how to get compensation through that law can be confusing. This is where a San Francisco maritime lawyer comes in handy.
A good lawyer is also helpful for situations in which you face an uphill battle against your employer or insurance company to get the money you are owed according to the law.
A lawyer with experience in such cases can represent you before your employer’s lawyers and ensure you get everything you are owed. Your case may even go so far as to require arbitration or even go to trial to conclude.
Without a good lawyer, you could get lost in this process. Find a lawyer with the maritime experience you need to get the job done and get your compensation.