What Causes Maritime Accidents?
Maritime industries, including offshore, shipyard, and longshore jobs, have a higher injury rate than the U.S. average. These workers are exposed to various hazards every day that can lead to chronic diseases and severe physical injuries.
What causes maritime injuries like these? They happen in many ways, and the particular manner in which an injury occurs may determine the parties liable for the resulting losses.
The undefeated legal team at Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers works hard for injured maritime workers in Houston, TX. We help them identify and pursue all their options for compensation.
If you need legal assistance after an accident, call us at (888) 603-3636 or contact us online to schedule a free case evaluation.
Table of Contents
- How the Undefeated Attorneys at Zehl & Associates Can Help You After a Maritime Accident in Houston, TX
- How Frequently Do Maritime Injuries Happen?
- Common Causes of Maritime Accidents
- Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Undefeated Houston Maritime Accident Attorneys – Call 888-603-3636 or Contact Us Online
How the Undefeated Attorneys at Zehl & Associates Can Help You After a Maritime Accident in Houston, TX
Zehl & Associates is undefeated in our fight for compensation for injured people in Houston, Texas. Our attorneys have recovered billions of dollars in financial compensation, including some of the largest settlements and verdicts in state history.
More importantly, the firm’s Houston maritime injury lawyers have helped thousands of clients get the resources they need to pay their living expenses and medical bills after accidents.
If you suffered an injury in a maritime accident, our attorneys will provide the following services:
- Assessing your accident and outlining your legal options for compensation
- Gathering evidence to support your case
- Filing claims and aggressively negotiating on your behalf
- Pursuing litigation if we cannot reach a resolution
A work-related injury, maritime or otherwise, can leave you unable to work or even care for yourself. Contact our Houston personal injury lawyers for a free consultation to learn about your options for pursuing compensation for your losses.
How Frequently Do Maritime Injuries Happen?
The CDC classifies the following shore-based and offshore occupations in maritime industries:
- Ship and boat building
- Marine terminals and port operations
- Water transportation
- Seafood processing
- Commercial fishing
- Aquaculture
- Commercial diving
These occupations employ about 450,000 workers across 26 states that border the ocean. Unfortunately, these industries result in many injuries and deaths annually. According to the CDC, the maritime occupation with the highest fatality rate is commercial diving. These workers suffer a shocking 158 deaths per 100,000 workers.
The occupations with the highest injury rates include seafood processing, shipbuilding, and port operations. The injury rate for these occupations falls between 4,000 and 6,000 injuries per 100,000 workers. In other words, there is anywhere from a 4% to 6% chance of suffering an injury in these occupations every year.
Common Causes of Maritime Accidents
According to the CDC, some of the most common causes of maritime accidents include the following:
Falls
Falls, including those resulting from slips as well as elevated falls, are leading causes of work injuries in all industries. In the maritime sector, falls can happen from cranes, in holds, and on slick decks. Additionally, workers can fall overboard.
Common injuries from falls include the following:
- Fractures
- Brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
When a worker falls into the water, they risk drowning and hypothermia. All of these fall-related injuries can cause permanent disabilities or death.
Fires
Fires can happen onboard vessels or in port facilities. Large volumes of fuel combined with flammable vapors can result in fires that spread quickly and consume everything in their paths. The heat and flames can burn skin and hair, producing painful injuries and permanent scars. These fires can also produce smoke and toxic fumes that damage the lungs and cause long-term health problems.
Toxic Chemicals
Shipyards, ports, and vessels alike are all full of potentially toxic chemicals. Since fire is a major concern for ships and port facilities, chemicals such as asbestos and Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) are often found. However, contact with these chemicals can lead to fatal diseases like mesothelioma and cancer.
Maritime workers also come into contact with other chemicals. Welding fumes, paint vapors, and fuels can damage the lung and brain tissues. They can also cause chemical burns to the skin and eyes.
Contact With Equipment and Machinery
A common injury happens when a worker is hit by equipment or machinery. Falling objects, like crates and containers, can crush workers. Moving vehicles, such as cranes and forklifts, can also collide with them.
Workers can also suffer injuries when they get caught in moving machine parts. The gears and belts used to drive motors and engines can catch a worker’s clothing or body and pull them in. The resulting forces can amputate the body parts or cause such severe tissue damage that doctors cannot save them.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Undefeated Houston Maritime Accident Attorneys – Call 888-603-3636 or Contact Us Online
Maritime work is highly dangerous, and workers who suffer on-the-job injuries deserve fair compensation. Contact Zehl & Associates for a free consultation to discuss your worker-related accident and the compensation you may be entitled to pursue.