Maritime & Admiralty Attorney - d'Oliveira & Associates

Maritime Law (also known as Admiralty Law) is a specialized area of law because the United States Constitution set aside a specific type of law to apply to oceans and waterways. Maritime law is now a separate body of law, with its own rules and regulations. If you have suffered an injury on an ocean or waterway, the law offices of d’Oliveira & Associates can help you navigate the complexities of maritime law.

Maritime Workers’ Compensation

If you have been injured while working on an ocean or waterway, there are specific maritime laws that apply to your situation. The Jones Act applies to workers on commercial fishing vessels, and provides for a special type of workers’ compensation. If you are a commercial fisherman, seaman, dockworker, or longshoreman, and you have been injured on the job, the law offices of d’Oliveira & Associates can help you fight for the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

• What Types of Injuries Can Occur To Employees At Sea?

In addition to common workplace injuries resulting from work activities such as cooking in a kitchen, lifting heavy items, or slipping and falling at work, employees at sea face additional dangers. The fatality rate for commercial fishermen is roughly 36 times higher than the average American employee. Fishermen and other employees at sea have additional dangers of falling overboard, their vessels being lost at sea, deck injuries, fires, explosions, or injuries from diving.

• What About a Fatality at Sea?

Commercial fishing was the most dangerous job in the United States in 2006, with 142 deaths per 100,000 workers, compared with 4 deaths per 100,000 workers in other professions. If your loved one has been lost at sea, or has been involved in a fatal accident while working at sea, you may be entitled to sue for wrongful death under the Jones Act.

Maritime Personal Injury for Recreational Activities

If you have been injured in a recreational boating or cruise accident, you need an attorney who is experienced with both personal injury law and the contours of maritime law. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries if the operator of the vessel was negligent. Call the law offices of d’Oliveira & Associates if you have suffered an injury while on board a vessel, including:

• Ferrys or water taxis
• Jet skis and personal watercraft
• Recreational boats, sailboats, and yachts
• Chartered fishing boats
• Harbor cruises, whale watching cruises, or other pleasure cruises

 
If you or a loved one have experienced any type of injury while participating in a recreational activity on an ocean or waterway, you may be entitle to recover damages from the negligent operator of the vessel. Injuries may include typical accident injuries such as broken bones, lacerations, muscle injuries, or internal injuries from a crash or a fall while on a watercraft. However, there could also be additional water-related injuries such as drowning, hypothermia, falling overboard, or other injuries.

Contact the Law Offices of d'Oliveira & Associates

If you or a loved one has been a victim of maritime injury, you should consider contacting an injury attorney who specializes in handling these types of cases. Our lawyers would like to meet with you and discuss your injury at sea to help you understand your legal options. Whatever your circumstances, an experienced maritime and admiralty attorney is here to help efficiently and effectively handle your case. Click here to view our fifteen locations in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Please contact the law offices of d'Oliveira & Associates at 1-800-992-6878 or fill out a contact form for a free legal consultation.