Seattle Maritime Injury Lawyer

Protecting Injured Seamen, Longshoremen, and Maritime Workers for Over 30 Years

If you are a seaman, longshoreman, shipyard worker, or offshore crew member injured while working on navigable waters, you are protected by powerful federal maritime laws—not ordinary workers’ compensation rules. Choosing the right Seattle maritime injury lawyer can make the difference between a modest recovery and full compensation for lost wages, medical care, and long-term disability.

At Marine Injury Law, we focus exclusively on maritime injury and Jones Act cases. For more than three decades, we have represented injured maritime workers throughout Seattle, Puget Sound, Alaska, the Bering Sea, and the Pacific Coast.

Why Maritime Injury Cases Require a Specialized Lawyer

Maritime injury law is a highly specialized federal practice area. Claims are governed by statutes and doctrines unfamiliar to most personal-injury attorneys, including:

• The Jones Act
• General Maritime Law
• Unseaworthiness
• Maintenance and Cure
• The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA)

Employers and vessel owners aggressively defend these claims. Many injured workers are pressured to give statements, accept premature settlements, or rely on company doctors. An experienced maritime lawyer levels the playing field.

Types of Maritime Injury Cases We Handle

We represent injured maritime workers in cases involving:

Jones Act Seamen

• Commercial fishermen
• Tug and barge crews
• Tanker and cargo ship crew members
• Research and government vessels
• Offshore and coastal service vessels

Longshoremen and Harbor Workers (LHWCA)

• Dock workers and stevedores
• Shipyard and ship-repair workers
• Terminal and port workers
• Marine construction workers

Common Maritime Accidents

• Slip and fall accidents on vessels
• Winch, capstan, and line-handling injuries
• Crushing and pinch-point injuries
• Falls overboard and man-overboard incidents
• Equipment failure and unsafe deck conditions
• Back, shoulder, and spinal injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
• Fatal maritime accidents and wrongful death

Jones Act Claims: Your Rights as a Seaman

Under the Jones Act, injured seamen may recover damages if their employer’s negligence played any role, even a small one, in causing the injury. Unlike workers’ compensation, Jones Act claims allow recovery for:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost wages and lost earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Disability and disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life

We routinely handle Jones Act cases involving unsafe work practices, understaffing, inadequate training, and defective equipment.

Maintenance and Cure: Immediate Benefits After Injury

Every injured seaman is entitled to maintenance and cure, regardless of fault. These benefits include:

• Maintenance – daily living expenses while recovering
• Cure – all reasonable and necessary medical treatment

Employers often attempt to terminate maintenance and cure early. We take swift action to enforce these rights and pursue punitive damages when benefits are wrongfully withheld.

Unseaworthiness Claims Against Vessel Owners

Vessel owners have a non-delegable duty to provide a seaworthy vessel. If an unsafe condition contributed to your injury—such as defective equipment, an unfit crew member, or unsafe deck layout—you may pursue a separate unseaworthiness claim in addition to Jones Act damages.

Why Choose Marine Injury Law

Decades of Experience

With more than 30 years representing injured maritime workers, we understand vessel operations, maritime medicine, and federal court procedure.

Pacific Northwest and Alaska Experience

We regularly handle claims arising from:

• Puget Sound
• Seattle and Tacoma ports
• Alaska fishing grounds
• Bering Sea fleets
• West Coast shipping routes

Direct Attorney Access

You work directly with an experienced maritime lawyer—not a case manager or intake specialist.

Frequently Asked Questions About Maritime Injury Claims

Serving Injured Maritime Workers in Seattle and Beyond

We represent maritime workers throughout:

• Seattle
• Tacoma
• Everett
• Bellingham
• Anacortes
• Alaska and offshore waters

Federal maritime law allows many cases to be filed in Washington State or federal courts, depending on strategic considerations.

Speak With a Seattle Maritime Injury Lawyer Today

If you have been injured while working at sea or on navigable waters, do not rely on your employer’s advice. Protect your rights with a lawyer who understands maritime law from the inside out.

Contact Marine Injury Law today for a confidential consultation.
There is no fee unless we recover compensation for you.