Massachusetts Maritime Lawyer

If you work in ports or on ships in Massachusetts, you do dangerous work and could be injured on the job. Massachusetts maritime lawyers can help you get compensation if you get hurt in a workplace accident. These experts have the knowledge and experience to get you the compensation you deserve.

What Is a Massachusetts Maritime Lawyer?

A maritime lawyer is a lawyer who specializes in maritime law. In Massachusetts, they represent clients involved in maritime accidents in the state. They help injured workers recover damages. They also represent passengers injured on boats and people involved in accidents in ports or on docks.

The Massachusetts Maritime Industry

The coast of Massachusetts spans nearly 3,000 miles and had a rich maritime history for hundreds of years since the first European settlers arrived. There are many ports up and down the coast, although most are small and not industrial ports.

The largest and busiest port in Massachusetts is the Port of Boston. Two smaller ports are located in Gloucester and New Bedford. They have shipping, commercial fishing, and other maritime industries.

All ports are dangerous places to work, as are the ships and other vessels coming to ports to unload cargo, fish, and passengers. Maritime workers anywhere take risks on the job, and those working in Massachusetts are no exception.

Massachusetts’ Ports

The biggest port in the state is the Port of Boston, which is also the oldest continually operating port in the Western Hemisphere.

It is the hub of maritime activity for New England and an essential part of the local and regional economy. One terminal at the port is single-handedly responsible for bringing in 90 percent of the state’s fossil fuels.

The port also has container terminals, a cruise terminal serving several major cruise lines, and a large Autoport that serves auto importers and exporters. Up to 70,000 vehicles go through the port each year.

There are a couple of other large ports in Massachusetts, including the Port of New Bedford on Buzzards Bay. It services cargo ships, cruise lines, and commercial fishing vessels and has a thriving recreational boating industry.

Gloucester’s primary industry has long been fishing, and commercial fishing vessels still dominate the port. The port also services cruise ships, recreational vessels, diving, and marine supplies and repairs.

The Dangers of Maritime Work in Maine

If you work in the maritime industry anywhere in and around Massachusetts, you know how hazardous the work is. This is dangerous work, from the stevedores moving cargo in ports to the seamen operating ships as they come into port.

On ships, common dangerous accidents include:

• Collisions
• Groundings
• Bad weather that causes a ship to sink
• Accidents with equipment
• Falls overboard
• Fishing accidents

Far too many accidents occur in ports involving cargo and the machinery used to lift and move it. Vehicle accidents are also common in ports.

For Massachusetts, the most dangerous type of maritime work is commercial fishing. Commercial fishermen face some of the most hazardous conditions of any other job.

The fishing and processing equipment, bad weather and rough waters, and long, grueling hours combine to make a workplace conducive to accidents, injuries, and even fatalities.

Massachusetts Maritime Accidents

In Massachusetts, there are all too many real examples of the dangers of the maritime industry. Many people over the years have been injured or killed on the job, either in ports or on ships and fishing boats.

Port of Boston Fatality

One such accident that occurred in 2009 was deadly. It happened at the Port of Boston’s Black Falcon Cruise Terminal. The port employee was found crushed under a concrete barrier inside a warehouse.

Exactly how it happened was not immediately apparent, but the death underscores how dangerous and unpredictable it can be to work in a port setting.

Tourist Boat Grounding

The maritime setting can also be hazardous for recreational workers and their passengers. In 2010, a passenger boat used for whale watching ran aground on a rocky shoal. Over 150 tourists on the boat had to be evacuated, and luckily, no one was killed or badly hurt.

This is also an example of an accident that should have been prevented. The shallow area in which the crash happened was well-known and well-signposted. The crew had no reason to direct the ship into the too-shallow waters.

Someone crewing the ship was inexperienced and untrained, made a bad judgment or miscommunication, or even was under the influence at the time of the accident.

Towing Vessel Accident

Another ship grounding in shallow waters occurred with a commercial towing vessel in 2013. The towing vessel was heading into Buzzards Bay when it ran aground on a rocky spot. The accident caused part of the ship to be damaged, which led to the leaking of several hundred gallons of oil into the water.

Accidents like these can cause substantial environmental problems. Although there were no injuries in this case, people can get hurt in these accidents, too. The mate on the vessel was found to be at fault for not using autopilot and not taking over manual control until it was too late to avoid running aground.

Legal Resources for Injured Maritime Workers

Workers hurt in accidents like these examples and others have legal recourse for compensation depending on the circumstances.

A seaman aboard a ship can get compensation through the Jones Act if the employer can be shown to have been negligent in the accident that caused an injury or illness.

A federal workers’ compensation program is available for port workers to ensure money is available after an accident. The same rights apply to surviving dependent loved ones for workers who die on the job.

A Massachusetts maritime lawyer is an excellent resource for anyone injured on the job and being denied compensation. A lawyer can help file claims, start lawsuits, negotiate, and even go to trial.

Let a lawyer help you figure out what steps to take next. With this expertise, you can be assured that you will be able to get the maximum money that you are owed and that you need to get back on your feet after a devastating accident.