Waters in the coastal regions of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, including numerous rivers, streams, tributaries, marshes, swamps, estuaries, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico, require dredging for a number of reasons, including creating new passageways, trash collection, mining for sediments, or gathering sand for use on beaches. Dredging vessels can include suction vessels that act like vacuum cleaners, mechanical bucket dredges that use grab-and-lift machinery, dredges for fishing, crabbing, or oyster or clam harvesting, or police dredges that help law enforcement recover evidence, objects, or bodies. Like workers on many types of vessels, dredge workers put their health and lives on the line every day just to earn a living.
Injuries on dredges can include crushed limbs, back injuries, knee, ankle, or leg injuries, shoulder injuries, wrist or hand injuries, hernias, post-traumatic stress disorder, and many other types of catastrophic injuries. When these injuries occur, the law requires employers to pay “Maintenance and Cure” benefits, which are similar to worker’s compensation insurance, but reserved for maritime workers who are injured while on the water. These benefits pay for medical care for injured workers and reimburse lost wages. But sometimes injuries result from employers’ negligence, entitling the worker to even more compensation than mere “Maintenance and Cure.” Dredge workers may also be covered as seamen and women under the Jones Act. But filing a lawsuit under the Jones Act may not be the best way to protect a worker’s rights. Only experienced maritime injury attorneys will be able to fully investigate the facts surrounding a worker’s injury and then litigate a claim successfully.
Paul W. Painter III and W. Andrew Bowen have years of experience litigating claims on behalf of dredge workers in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. We always make ourselves available to our clients to answer questions and provide timely updates related to cases. Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers fight for clients’ rights and work hard to find all insurance to ensure maximum compensation. Our clients and their families have received millions of dollars in compensation for their offshore injuries because of our expertise and our drive to win for them. Contact our team today to work with a Savannah river dredge injury lawyer.
IMPORTANT: Even if you were injured on the job you may not be limited to recovering only from worker’s compensation. We specialize in investigating on-the-job injuries to determine whether there are wrongdoers we can hold responsible for your injuries so you can be fully compensated for your loss. DO NOT LET YOUR EMPLOYER TELL YOU THAT YOU MUST SEE THEIR DOCTOR, DO NOT SIGN ANY AGREEMENTS OR SETTLEMENTS, AND DO NOT LET YOUR EMPLOYER TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE LIMITED TO A WORKER’S COMPENSATION RECOVERY WITHOUT TALKING TO US.
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