Maritime injuries are much more common than some people realize. Rocky waters and harsh weather are just two factors that contribute to high injury rates among seamen. However, these kinds of accidents can also happen on the shore, in offshore facilities and ports. 

“Whether we’re talking about burns, slip, and falls, or machine injuries, you have the right to seek compensation,” according to Chopin Law Firm, a maritime injury law firm. These experts recommend that you take evidence after any major accident and present it to a legal team once you come ashore.

By conferring with a legal team, you’ll better understand your rights and whether you can seek compensation. In this article, we’ll outline 7 most common types of maritime injuries and what they entail.

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1. Pier and Dock Accidents

Docks and piers are places where workers load and unload cargo and perform other activities. Staff can easily get injured when dealing with heavy machinery and other sensitive objects. Some of the common docking mishaps include electrocutions, burns, crane and winch accidents, and various vehicle injuries.

Given there’s so much activity on the docks, it takes just a split second for a transport car to hit you or for cargo to fall on your head. In fact, piers are among the most hazardous places for employees.

2. Defective Products

Seamen use various machines in their daily work. They maintain the ship’s engines and electronic equipment and are always moving around tight spaces. Today, more than ever, maritime businesses are dependent on gadgets and other equipment that can burn or electrocute ships’ workers.

The high dependency on machinery leads to various injuries on a weekly basis. Defective products are especially troublesome, as their poor, flawed design and features can endanger a person’s life. If you do suffer this type of injury, you’re able to seek compensation from both the employer and the product manufacturer.

3. Unseaworthiness Injuries

Most seamen spend months on the water, eating, sleeping, and working in extreme conditions. During that time, they not only have to think about the environmental factors but should also be afraid of the vessel’s condition.

Before sending a ship to the sea, the employer needs to make sure that it’s completely safe to use. These ships have to be well-designed, regularly maintained, and include safety features and equipment. The most common injuries from this category include broken bones, burns from explosions and fires, near drowning, and drowning.

4. Lack of Training

Many people don’t know this, but maritime professions are highly standardized and regulated because of their nature. Employers are responsible for providing several types of training to their staff, ensuring that the workers can properly execute their jobs while minimizing risks.

However, due to tight deadlines, many companies skip or rush this training. This practice is especially risky for new workers with limited experience.

5. Chemical Exposure

While on water, seamen will use various chemical products for their daily activities. They might also transport deadly substances across long distances. These toxins can cause respiratory issues and diseases and even lead to death. The fact that boats’ interiors are hardly ventilated makes things that much more dangerous.

We also have to consider the fact that many ships made before the 80s have asbestos in their hulls. Benzene, a chemical that is present in gasoline, is another substance that can cause tissue damage, and we can’t forget the adverse effects of other petroleum chemicals.

6. Offshore Injuries

Oil rigs, offshore windmills, and natural gas wells are some of the most dangerous workplaces in the world. Even performing the simplest tasks can be dangerous in these facilities, as you can’t control the water and the wind. To make matters worse, people working on these sites have to deal with major defects and complex machinery.

Some of the common mishaps include falls, slips, trips, falling into water and drowning, and medical issues caused by harsh weather. While companies can’t ensure full safety for their workers, they should at least introduce minimal safety measures to their offshore platforms.

7. Ship Sinking

Even if an employer does proper ship maintenance, there’s still a chance that a vessel will capsize while at sea. However, if the incident was caused by their negligence, you have the full right to seek compensation.

Besides skimming on maintenance and avoiding the standard safety procedures, sinking might also happen as an action of a reckless captain. Sometimes, the incident might occur because the equipment, as well as the ship itself, has run its course.

To sum it up, these incidents might happen due to explosions and fires, lack of holds, covers, and doors, ignoring weather conditions, and making navigational mistakes.

Conclusion

Maritime injuries are unpredictable, vicious, and uncontrollable. The worst thing is that you have limited medical assistance at your disposal, which is why death and severe complications are commonplace.

While you can’t turn back the clock, you’re able to seek compensation. By hiring a maritime injury lawyer, you can get justice and medical coverage for the rest of your life.