Injured at sea? How will you pay your bills?

If you are a seaman who has been injured in a maritime accident, chances are that you are also worried about how you are going to pay the bills. You may have questions. Will you be paid while you are recovering? How will you support yourself? And, your family? What about the medical bills?

If your company offers you a settlement, you may be tempted to take it just to get the bills paid, but there’s a few things that you should consider first.

If have been injured and you are considered a seaman under the Jones Act, then you are entitled to a special type of compensation known as maintenance and cure while you recover.

Maintenance is a daily rate that you are given to cover your room and board while you recover from your work-related injuries. It is usually given at a set daily rate of $20-$30 per day.

Cure covers your medical expenses that relate to the care and treatment of your injury. It includes costs such as medications, treatment, hospitalization and physical therapy.

You can receive maintenance and cure until you reach maximum medical improvement. This means until you are not expected to get any better.

You may also be entitled to unearned wages. These are the wages you would have received had you been able to work through the remainder of the contract or voyage. Unearned wages may include overtime, bonuses, and other employment benefits that you would have earned had you been able to complete your duties on board the vessel.

If your injury was caused by an unseaworthy vessel or by any type of negligence, including lack of maintenance of the vessel, lack of training, lack of adequate work or safety equipment or unsafe conditions, you may be able to file a Jones Act lawsuit against your employer. This would entitle you to monetary compensation for your injuries, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and other damages.

Don’t let financial stress force you to take a low settlement for your Jones Act injury. Settling can cause you to lose out on all the full compensation that you are entitled to. If you need help, contact the Louisiana maritime attorneys at The Young Firm. We can help you get the compensation that you need to pay your bills. Before you take that settlement, call us at 866-938-6113 for a free consultation.