Injury Claims For Washington Commercial Fishermen
James Beard of Trueb Berne & Beard, LLP, is one of Washington’s most experienced maritime injury lawyers. He has handled hundreds of fishing accidents for Washington commercial fishermen. If you have been injured working as a crewman aboard a commercial fishing vessel, you have the right to claim compensation and benefits under federal maritime law and the Jones Act. Wherever you have been injured fishing in Alaska, Washington or Oregon, Mr. Beard and his partners can help you get fair compensation for your injuries.
If you have been injured working as a commercial fisherman, you have the right to make claims for compensation under federal maritime law. Your employer and the vessel owner have a legal duty to pay your medical expenses. Where you are injured through negligence or unseaworthiness, your employer and vessel owner are required by Federal law to pay you compensatory damages.
Millions Recovered For Injured Fishermen
Beard and his team at Trueb Berne & Beard, LLP, have represented crewmen injured in all types of commercial fishing vessel accidents, including fish processors, crab boats, salmon trollers, gillnet boats, longliners, seiners, trawlers and draggers. They understand commercial fishermen, their jobs, and how crewmen can be injured as the result of negligence or unseaworthiness. If fishermen are provided with the proper equipment and trained in proper safety procedures, almost all injuries to fishermen are preventable.
Attorney Beard has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for Washington fishermen, including injury accidents that have happened in Alaska, Oregon and Washington. When Mr. Beard tells you that you have a good case, that opinion is based upon 30 years of experience successfully litigating hundreds of maritime injury and Jones Act negligence cases.
Beard has extensive experience in representing the families of crewmen who have suffered wrongful deaths while working at sea. He has proudly represented families of more than 30 seamen who suffered wrongful deaths while working aboard commercial fishing vessels. Mr. Beard represented the wife of Kevin Murray, a Columbia River Bar pilot killed while transferring between vessels on the Columbia River Bar. He represented the minor children of Jason Bjaranson when the Lady Cecelia sank with all hands lost offshore from Klipsan Beach. He represented the family of Jared Hammrick when the Nesika sank in Newport. Mr. Beard is a lawyer legendary for the handling of Alaska commercial fishing vessel sinkings such as the Aleutian Enterprise, Arctic Rose, and the Alaska Ranger. Mr. Beard puts his 30 years of experience successfully litigating some of the largest and most complicated maritime accidents to work for you to maximize your recovery for injuries in cases big and small.
You Have A Legal Right To Compensation For Your Injuries
Federal maritime law governs Washington commercial fishermen injured while working aboard their boats at sea. Your employer and vessel owner owe you a duty to provide a safe place to work and a seaworthy vessel. Vessel profits should never be placed ahead of the safety of a crewman aboard a commercial fishing vessel.
It should be carefully understood by all injured commercial fishermen that contributory negligence and preexisting medical conditions do not bar their rights to claim compensation.
If you have been injured as a result of the negligence of your employer or the unseaworthiness of your vessel, you are entitled to compensatory damages for your injuries including damages for pain and suffering, lost earning capacity, medical expenses and loss of enjoyment of life. Don’t guess about your right to fair compensation; consult a maritime lawyer like James Beard who has over 30 years of maritime injury law experience.
What Type Of Benefits Are Available?
When Washington commercial fishermen are injured working aboard their vessels, in almost all cases they are entitled to maintenance and cure benefits. These no-fault maritime law benefits mean your employer must pay all of your reasonable and necessary medical expenses. You do not have to prove negligence or unseaworthiness to obtain maintenance and cure benefits. If you are unable to work as a result of your injuries, the employer must pay you the wages you would have made to the end of the fishing season or to end of your contract period. If you are not fit for duty, your employer must pay you a daily living allowance referred to as maintenance. Depending on your circumstances, your maintenance rate may vary between $30-$50 per day. A contractual rate of maintenance is not binding on the injured crewman. Federal law requires all doubts as to entitlement to maintenance and cure benefits to be resolved in favor of the injured seaman.
Under the Jones Act, a crewman injured on a Washington commercial fishing vessel or a vessel fishing in Washington navigable waters is entitled to a jury trial in Washington State Superior Court or in U.S. District Court for Washington.
Contact The Premier Maritime Injury Law Firm For Help Today
Beard and his partner, Lanning Trueb, of Trueb Berne & Beard, LLP, represent crewmen seriously injured aboard commercial fishing vessels working out of all Washington ports, including Westport, Ilwaco, Chinook, Grays Harbor, Seattle, Tacoma, Port Townsend, Anacortes, Port Angeles, Blaine, Bellingham, and Neah Bay.
If you are an injured commercial fisherman, you can hire Mr. Beard and his team at Trueb Berne & Beard, LLP, to represent you on a contingency fee basis. A contingency fee means there are no fees in your case until compensatory damages have been paid. If there is no recovery, there are no fees. Call 425-403-1900 or send us a message online to discuss your injury accident.
Beard’s new office is located on Lake Washington just minutes from downtown Seattle. He is available to see seriously injured commercial fishermen in all Washington ports. If Beard tells you it is his opinion that you have a good case, that opinion is based upon 30 years of successful results in maritime injury and wrongful death cases.