Maritime Lawyer

Maritime Law Defined

Before you were injured, you may never have had heard of maritime law, also referred to as admiralty law. Ironically, this area of law is focused on workers just like you. Maritime law is the practice area that covers sea workers, including instances in which they are injured. Included in this area of law are laws such as the Jones Act. The Jones Act is a set of rules that protect injured sea workers. The Jones Act was written specifically to address the issues of sea workers and their working conditions. This legislation requires an employer to provide a safe working environment. If the employer does not ensure the work environment is safe, and then as a result, a worker becomes injured, then the employer may be held liable. The Jones Act makes this possible. Before it was passed by the United States Congress, there was very limited legal protection for injured sea workers.

Maritime Lawyer

Since you are a seaman and injured on the job, you need to select a maritime lawyer for legal advice. Complete proper due diligence when you are considering your attorney. To help you select a maritime lawyer, below are some questions you can ask the lawyer you are contemplating retaining.

• How long have you been practicing?
• Do you practice in any other areas of law?
• If my case goes to trial, will you be trying my case?
• How long have you been with your current firm?
• How many cases are you working on now?
• Have you had any disciplinary action taken against you?

You can skip the last question and go straight to the State Bar Association to check the record of the attorney. Many states have their bar association records online, so you simply need the attorney's first and last name to look up their professional record.

Another factor that may influence your decision is attorney fees. This should not be the ultimate deciding factor, however, practically speaking, it is a factor. Many attorneys will work with you. They understand that you probably already have a handful of unpaid medical bills and are stressing over them. Talk to your attorney and be open about what you can afford and your overall financial situation.

At Williams Kherkher, a maritime lawyer will meet with you for a free consultation. We are open to discussing any of the above questions or any other questions you may have regarding our background, our skill set and our processes. Please visit our Web site to learn more about what our client philosophy is.

There is a time limit to filing your work-related injury claim. Do not wait. Contact Williams Kherkher today to schedule your free initial consultation with one of our maritime lawyers.