Rights of Fishermen and Seamen

Injured at Sea? Know Your Rights as a Seaman Under Maritime Law

If you’ve been injured while working at sea or on a navigable waterway, you have powerful legal protections under maritime law, including the Jones Act and General Maritime Law. Whether you’re a Seattle-based deckhand, a Bering Sea fisherman, a tugboat crew member, or ferry worker, you may be entitled to significant compensation for your injuries. At Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC, a premier maritime injury law firm based in Seattle, Washington, we help injured seamen and maritime workers throughout Washington, Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest assert their rights and recover the compensation they deserve.

Local Focus: Representing Injured Seamen in Seattle and Alaska

For over two decades, Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC has represented maritime workers injured in:

• Seattle’s commercial fishing fleet
• Bering Sea crab boats
• Alaska factory trawlers and processing vessels
• Washington State ferries
• Tug and barge operations in Puget Sound, the Columbia River, and Southeast Alaska

Whether you live in Seattle or travel seasonally to work out of Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, or Ketchikan, our maritime attorneys understand the unique risks and challenges of working in Alaska’s dangerous maritime environments.

We’ve successfully handled claims involving:

• Injuries aboard factory trawlers in the Bering Sea
• Crabber accidents in Dutch Harbor
• Unsafe working conditions on vessels out of Ballard and Fishermen’s Terminal
• Engine room injuries aboard Washington State Ferries
• Maritime accidents in Puget Sound, the Bering Sea, the Duwamish Waterway, and the Port of Tacoma

Our central location in downtown Seattle gives us immediate access to Coast Guard officials, maritime experts, and major vessel operators headquartered here.

Understanding Your Rights as a Seaman

Under U.S. maritime law, a “seaman” is a maritime worker who contributes to the function or mission of a vessel and spends a significant amount of time working on a vessel in navigation. This includes:

• Commercial fishermen in Alaska and Puget Sound
• Tug and barge workers on Puget Sound, Lake Union, or the Inside Passage
• Ferry employees aboard Washington State Ferries
• Offshore oil and research vessel workers
• Crew members on Seattle-based container ships or tankers

If you qualify as a seaman, your rights are distinct from those of land-based workers. Instead of workers’ compensation, you may pursue claims under:

1. The Jones Act (46 U.S.C. § 30104)

The Jones Act allows injured seamen to sue their employer for negligence. Whether your injury occurred in Seattle’s harbor or in the icy waters of the Bering Sea, you only need to prove that the employer’s negligence played any part—however small—in causing your injury.

2. Unseaworthiness (General Maritime Law)

If your injury occurred due to unsafe or unfit conditions aboard an Alaska-bound fishing vessel, unmaintained winch, or short-staffed tug crew, you may have an unseaworthiness claim.

3. Maintenance and Cure

Whether you’re recovering in Seattle, Anchorage, or a remote Alaskan village, your employer must pay for your medical care and living expenses until you reach maximum recovery.

Seattle and Alaska Maritime Injuries: Unique Risks

Maritime workers in Seattle and Alaska face some of the most dangerous conditions in the country:

• Longline and crab fishing in the Bering Sea involves cold exposure, icing, and extreme machinery hazards.
• Alaska seafood processing vessels have high rates of repetitive use injuries and unsafe conveyor systems.
• Tugboats and barges operating on Puget Sound or the Columbia River face risks from wake collisions, shifting loads, and rough docking procedures.
• Ferry workers are vulnerable to slips, falls, mechanical hazards, and engine room incidents.

Our firm understands these risks—and we know how to hold negligent employers and vessel owners accountable.

What to Do After a Maritime Injury

If you were injured while working aboard a vessel based in Seattle or operating in Alaska, take the following steps:

1. Report the Injury Immediately – Even while offshore, make a written report and log the injury.
2. Get Medical Treatment – Use available shipboard care and seek treatment at the nearest port (e.g., Anchorage, Dutch Harbor, or Harborview Medical Center in Seattle).
3. Avoid Signing Releases – Your company may try to protect themselves. Consult a Seattle maritime attorney before signing anything.
4. Keep Records – Document conditions, witness names, and unsafe equipment. Photos help.
5. Contact Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC – We offer free consultations and can coordinate care and investigation even if you’re still in Alaska.

Why Seattle’s Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC is the Right Firm for You

We are one of Seattle’s leading maritime personal injury law firms, located just blocks from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Our attorneys have:

• Over 50 years of combined experience in maritime law
• A deep understanding of commercial fishing and vessel operations in Alaska waters
• Longstanding relationships with maritime medical experts, marine engineers, and Coast Guard consultants

We represent clients from across the Pacific Northwest, including Seattle, Tacoma, Anacortes, Bremerton, Juneau, Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, and Sitka.

Contact a Seattle Maritime Injury Lawyer Serving Alaska

If you’ve been injured while working aboard a vessel in Alaska or off the coast of Washington, you don’t have to face the legal system alone. Call Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC at 206.624.8844 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with a Seattle-based Jones Act lawyer.

We’re here to help you—whether you’re docked in Seattle, recovering in Anchorage, or still working at sea.

Seattle Maritime Injury Lawyer | Alaska Jones Act & Seaman Rights Attorneys:

Injured working at sea in Seattle or Alaska? Contact Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC for experienced Jones Act and maritime injury representation. Free consultation. Serving fishermen, ferry workers, and deckhands across the Pacific Northwest.