Undefeated Houston Maritime Injury Lawyers
If you work offshore, you already know that your job is one of the most dangerous in the world. Every day, you’re exposed to rough seas, heavy equipment under extreme pressure, and hazardous materials—all of which pose constant threats to your safety.
Given the dangers of the job, you’d expect your employer to prioritize your well-being above profits, but this isn’t always the reality. When their reckless actions or negligence result in your injury, you and your family deserve a legal team that knows exactly how to hold them accountable and secure the maximum compensation you deserve.
At Zehl & Associates, our undefeated maritime injury attorneys are committed to seeking justice for your family, and providing you with the crucial information you need to protect your rights. Here are five essential things to know if you’ve been injured offshore.
1. You can’t trust your employer to take care of your future.
After an offshore accident, your company’s primary goal is to save money, often at your expense. And though they may offer to “make things right,” it’s been our experience that they will stop at nothing to pay you as little as possible for your injuries and losses.
If your employer’s reckless actions or negligence played a role in your injuries, you have the right to hold them fully accountable. Consider the following:
- Did your employer contribute to the accident in any way?
- Were your injuries caused by the careless actions of a fellow crew member?
- Did you receive inadequate instructions to perform your job safely?
- Did the vessel itself or any defective equipment onboard contribute to your injuries?
- Did you have an inadequate number of crew members to assist you in performing the work that contributed to your injury?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should contact a trusted offshore accident lawyer immediately to begin an investigation.
Just be aware that your company will try to prevent you from seeking legal advice. They know that an experienced maritime accident attorney will hold them fully accountable and force them pay more than they ever have before. At Zehl & Associates, our Texas maritime lawyers help you recover ALL of your damages, including past and future pain and suffering, mental anguish, physical impairment, and lost earning capacity—not just your past medical expenses.
When your future is on the line, it’s crucial that you focus on what’s best for your family — not on what your employer thinks is best for you.
2. You don’t have to see the company doctor.
As a Jones Act seaman, you have the freedom to see any doctor you wish. In fact, you should only see doctors that are not chosen or employed by your company. Otherwise, relying on a doctor selected by your employer could jeopardize bot your recovery and your ability to recover the full compensation you deserve.
Company doctors have conflicting interests—they’re incentivized to downplay your injuries and rush you back to work, even if it means placing you on “light duty.” Being cleared for work before you’re truly ready can lead to long-term complications that may end your maritime career altogether and leave you in financial ruin. Moreover, your company can (and will) use your premature return to work and doctor’s assessments to discredit your legal claim, weakening your case.
The only way to protect your well-being and legal rights is to see an independent doctor of your choosing, one who is first and foremost concerned with your recovery and nothing more.
At Zehl & Associates, we ensure our clients have access to the best medical care, including top doctors and specialists nationwide, so you can focus on what matters most: your recovery. We then use their accurate medical documentation and unbiased opinions as powerful evidence to not only win, but to set records in the courtroom.
3. You should contact an experienced maritime accident attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights.
Under the Jones act or other maritime laws, you typically have three years from the time of the accident to file a lawsuit. However, it’s crucial to contact an experienced maritime accident attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights. The more time passes, the less likely it is that you will secure a substantial recovery for your injuries.
The sooner you act, the better. In fact, how quickly you act could mean the difference between securing full compensation or pennies on the dollar. The same is true when it comes to the attorney you hire — you only want the best, a team that not only specializes in maritime law, but understands every minute counts when it comes to building the strongest case possible.
Once hired, our legal team immediately gets to work for you:
- Assembling the top engineers and safety experts in the country to determine what really happened and how it should have been prevented
- Making sure you get the best medical care possible
- Working longer and harder than our opponents to locate and preserve vital evidence
- Preparing your case for trial and force the at-fault party to hand over every penny you deserve
- Ensuring that you receive the maximum compensation possible
- Standing by you every step of the way
Additionally, if you wish to pursue a claim under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA), you must notify your employer within 30 days of becoming aware of an injury or illness and file a complaint with the federal government within one year. But you should contact a longshoreman injury attorney right away.
Remember, these deadlines are strict, and if you do not act quickly, you may forfeit your right to recover damages and lost wages.
4. Stay off social media.
Social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook may be something you log onto every single day to connect with friends and family. However, offshore employers have begun to take notice, and advantage, of these sites when defending against maritime injury claims.
With a simple search of your name online, your employer can easily pull up your accounts and use your posts against you.
Never post anything after your maritime injury occurs. No photos, no videos, no messages, nothing. Not even seemingly innocent or unrelated content — even sharing a photo of yourself smiling could be used by a lawyer to convince a jury you weren’t suffering as bad as you really were.
Can’t stay offline? Follow these tips:
- Set your Facebook or other accounts to the most private setting possible.
- Avoid posting anything directly related to your maritime injury.
- Do not post any photos or video of any kind.
- Do not post anything relating to your case or strategy going forward.
- Do not post anything about your medical treatment.
- Do not post anything that you discuss with your lawyer.
- Do not respond to messages or “Friend Requests” from people that you do not know.
Don’t make a costly mistake. If you were injured offshore, and are concerned about your legal rights and options, contact us immediately for a free consultation.
5. Choose a maritime accident attorney with a track record of success and satisfied former clients.
Here’s the truth: not every law firm marketing themselves as maritime law experts actually have the results to prove it. At Zehl & Associates, our track record speaks for itself. With Billions won, including some of the largest verdicts and settlements in history on behalf of offshore workers, our results distinguish our undefeated maritime accident attorneys as among the best in the nation.
Our recent victories on behalf of maritime accident victims include:
- $30M won for a Jones Act seaman who sustained a mild to moderate traumatic brain injury while working offshore
- $9.1M won for an offshore worker who sustained a concussion and neck and back injuries while working on a jack-up rig
- $7.6M won for a Jones Act Seaman in Louisiana Federal Court
- $5.5M won for an offshore worker — 10X the initial offer — after one of the largest offshore drillers in the World tried to blame our client for his own injuries
Not only do we have the resources, skills, and experience to take on the largest maritime and offshore oil and gas companies in the world and win, we repeatedly set records for our clients in and out of the courtroom.
Once hired, we do everything in our power to make sure you never have to worry about your family’s financial future ever again. We get you access to the top medical treatment for your injuries, assist with medical bills and reasonable living expenses while your case is pending, and offer around the clock support, so you and your family can focus on what matters most.
You need to look out for yourself and your family, and you deserve the best legal team to stand up, fight, and win for you.
Contact the Undefeated Houston Maritime Injury Lawyers from Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers for Help Today, Call 1-888-603-3636
For more information, please contact our Undefeated maritime injury attorneys in Houston, Texas at Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers to schedule a free consultation today.
We proudly serve Harris County, Midland County, and throughout the state of Texas. We are located in Houston and Midland and throughout the state of Texas:
Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers – Houston
2700 Post Oak Blvd #1000, Houston, TX 77056
(888) 603-3636
Open 24 hours
Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers – Midland
306 W Wall St Suite 701, Midland, TX 79701
(432) 220-0000
Open 24 hours