Everett Maritime Lawyer

Any port is a dangerous place to work, and if you work in or around the Port of Everett, you take risks on the job and are exposed to hazards every time you go to work. If you experience an accident while on the job, you may need the help of a maritime lawyer to sort through your situation and your options to help you decide the steps to take to get compensation for your injuries.

About the Port of Everett

North of Seattle, on the eastern side of the Puget Sound, the Port of Everett is a busy and important point of origin and departure for container ships, commercial fishing vessels, and other boats that make up part of the local and regional maritime industry.

Also near Everett, Washington, is Naval Station Everett, an important station for the U.S. Navy. This comprises a large port, marina, and general maritime area covering over 3,000 acres.

The Dangers of Working in a Port

Working in a port like the Port of Everett can be exciting and lucrative. Skilled and dedicated workers are needed in various positions to keep operations going. At the same time, it can be hazardous working in a busy port.

Crowded Work Areas

That a port is busy and crowded is one of the reasons it can be risky. In a port or harbor area, especially one with a busy commercial industry, many people, trucks, equipment, and machinery are moving and operating simultaneously.

This means that accidents are relatively commonplace. If just one person isn’t paying close attention, it could lead to a worker getting hit by a truck, a crane dropping heavy cargo on someone, or a worker falling into the water, among other possible accidents.

Heavy Machinery and Equipment

In addition to being crowded, port areas include a lot of heavy machinery, which can cause accidents if something goes wrong.

For instance, most ports have large cranes to lift cargo to and from ships. If the cranes are not fixed or maintained adequately, they can malfunction.

A crane may swing out of control, strike workers, or drop cargo, which can cause serious injuries or even fatalities.

Water Hazards

Being next to the water also presents a hazard. It is easy to accidentally fall into the water at a port. Workers may slip or trip and fall from a dock, from the harbor, a walkway, or even a ship in port. Falls can be severe if workers are not trained to respond to someone who has fallen in the water or if safety and rescue equipment is lacking.

There may also be incidents where a worker is alone, falls in the water, and drowns because no one saw him enter the water. Hypothermia can also be a risk in the cold water of Puget Sound.

Examples of Port of Everett Accidents

As with any large port area, accidents happen from time to time in Everett and to workers in the maritime industry who are from the port area.

Commercial Fishing Accident

For example, a man from Everett died while working on a crabbing boat. The boat had traveled to the Bering Sea for crab fishing but capsized when its cargo shifted, and a large wave caused it to take on water.

Overall, six men died in the incident, demonstrating the worst-case scenario for maritime industry workers.

Ship Fire

An older accident occurred more than 30 years ago but is still remembered by the people of Everett. After a fire, a fish processing vessel called the Al-Ind-Esk-A-Sea sank off the coast near Everett.

The ship was anchored near Pier 1 in the Port of Everett when a fire started in the fall of 1982. While repairing the boat, a worker’s torch accidentally caused the insulation to catch fire.

Fortunately, all crew members aboard could escape without harm, but the ship was completely lost and now sits at the bottom of the Sound.

Maritime Laws

If you work in the port in Everett or aboard a ship that comes into port here, you do dangerous work and have federal maritime laws to protect you if you are injured.

If you qualify as a seaman, the Jones Act gives you the right to file a claim and start a suit if you believe your employer is not compensating you adequately, and you can prove negligence in your accident.

If you don’t qualify as a seaman because you work in the port and around but not on the ships, you may be eligible for money under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act.

Unlike the Jones Act, you don’t have to prove negligence to get cash through this law. You simply have to file for compensation if you are injured.

You shouldn’t have to worry about your family either. In the tragic event that you die on the job, your dependents are entitled to compensation for lost wages, pain and suffering, funeral expenses, and more.

You are put in a challenging position when you get injured on the job. You may be unable to work and find that your employer doesn’t want to pay out what you think you are owed. If this happens to you, turn to the expertise of a knowledgeable maritime lawyer.

A lawyer with experience working on cases like yours can help you file a claim, start a lawsuit, settle arbitration, and represent you if you have to go to trial. The laws are there for you but can be confusing if you lack specialized knowledge. Let an Everett maritime lawyer help you get what you deserve.