Fighting For The Rights Of Those Injured At Sea
We Can Help
With offices in the Houston/Galveston and Clear Lake regions, the Tylka Law Firm provides dedicated representation for seamen and longshoremen injured in the Texas Gulf Coast, Alaska, Boston and elsewhere in U.S.-controlled waterways. We have also represented employees of U.S. companies operating farther abroad, including Honduras, Mexico, Venezuela and Malaysia. With more than 30 years of experience, attorney Larry Tylka protects clients’ rights to full and fair compensation.
Talk to an experienced maritime lawyer before you accept a settlement offer from your employer. You could be signing away your right to seek compensation in the future or for ongoing medical care, which may be necessary in the months to come. Contact us for a free initial consultation today.
Call a Galveston maritime accident attorney today.
Arrange your free initial consultation with an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney by calling us at:
- 281-557-1500 in League City/Clear Lake
- 409-762-0066 in Galveston/Texas City
- 713-829-6048 Lawrence Tylka’s emergency cellphone line
Comprehensive Experience And Dedicated Representation
The Tylka Law Firm represents individuals who have been injured in a wide variety of maritime-related accidents. This includes accidents on sea-bound vessels such as:
Offshore Oil Rig & Platform Accidents
Work on a ship, motor vessel, jackup rig, or offshore rig has special hazards. The Jones Act recognizes the difficult conditions seamen face when they are injured. At the Tylka Law Firm in Galveston, Texas, you will find an attorney experienced with offshore rig accidents and the rights of workers under the Jones Act. Call us now. We can help.
Seaman & Longshoreman Accidents
People who work at sea, on the docks or offshore are protected by federal laws that recognize the inherent dangers. When they are injured on the job, those workers are entitled to specific benefits and may be able to sue their employers for negligence and hazardous working conditions.
Boating & Personal Watercraft Injuries
Being injured in a boat accident because of someone else’s negligence is much like being injured in a car accident: The boat owner and the driver are liable for the injuries. There are rules of the water just as there are rules of the road.
Commercial Fishing Accidents
Commercial fishing is a dangerous occupation. The men and women who engage in it put their lives at risk on a daily basis. At the Tylka Law Firm, we understand this. Our Texas lawyers represent workers who have experienced serious injuries and wrongful death as the result of negligence on fishing vessels.
Wrongful Maritime Death
Maritime jobs can be some of the deadliest in the world. Many workers travel on vessels that are lost at sea. Others are thrown overboard in rough waters, only to have rescue attempts fail. If you have lost a loved one in a maritime accident, you may feel as if nothing will ever be the same.
Dock Worker Injuries
Dock workers often have very dangerous jobs. Forced to contend with cranes that lift metal shipping containers the size of railroad cars, they can experience serious personal injury and wrongful death in tragic workplace accidents.
PWC Orifice Injuries
Personal Watercraft Orifice injuries commonly occur when the operator of a PWC is thrown from the craft into the stream of the water jet. The powerful jet sends a very high pressure stream of water into the victim’s body, entering the rectum or vagina.
Jones Act
Seaman and offshore rig workers face dangerous conditions at work. It is not uncommon for many of these workers to suffer serious injuries, which can change their lives and make it difficult to support themselves and their families. If you have been injured on a boat or oil rig, you should know that certain laws protect you, including the Jones Act.
The Importance Of Maritime Law Experience
Maritime injuries are not governed under state workers’ compensation law. If you were injured at sea or on a dock, it is important to work with an attorney who is experienced in maritime law.
Maritime injury claims are often settled out of court, but an experienced trial lawyer can give you the leverage at the negotiating table you need. We are skilled at obtaining favorable settlements for our clients, but are always prepared for courtroom litigation when necessary.
The Jones Act
If you were injured due to the negligence of a third party, your claim will fall under the Jones Act, rather than traditional personal injury law. Filing a claim under the Jones Act can help you pursue compensation for damages such as lost earnings, lost earning capacity, medical expense, pain and suffering, and mental anguish. Our lawyers are experienced in this legal area and can help you pursue all sources of potential compensation.
The Longshore And Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act
If you were injured at sea, your injury is not governed under state workers’ compensation law, but rather falls under the federal Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. The LHWCA provides medical and disability benefits to maritime workers who are injured on navigable waters. The law also provides benefits for family members who have lost loved ones in fatal maritime accidents.
Causes Of Maritime Injuries
Maritime occupations are usually physically demanding and often dangerous. All too often, accidents at sea, on oil platforms, on docks and other locations result in serious, life-changing injuries, and even death.
Common causes of maritime injuries include:
- Collisions with other vessels
- Capsizing
- Unseaworthiness of vessels
- Helicopter crashes on oil platforms
- Equipment malfunction
- Extreme weather conditions
- Fires and explosions
Our lawyers can look into the cause of your injury to determine who is to blame and which sources of compensation are available to you.
Contact Our Maritime Injury Lawyers
Were you involved in an accident at sea? Did you lose a loved one due to a fatal maritime accident? The skilled attorneys of the Tylka Law Firm are ready and available to help. Call us or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation.
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