If your husband has suffered an accident or injury at work, you may have questions about your role in the offshore injury claims process. Is there anything you can do to help? Will you need to go to court?
Family support is extremely important for any injured worker. If your husband has been injured in an offshore accident, you can take on several roles in his injury claim.
An injury or disability can be stressful, especially for someone who was the breadwinner of the family. Your husband may feel guilty, anxious, or depressed following an injury, and the family will need to keep his spirits up.
Fighting for compensation after an accident can take its toll on a person’s mental health, and you should watch your husband for signs that he is not handling the process well. Don’t be afraid to talk to him about how he is feeling, or seek support from other sources like a mental health professional if needed.
Your husband will likely need to file a significant amount of paperwork to receive his benefits or file a claim to recover damages:
Working through a large amount of paperwork while in poor health can be draining, and he may not be physically able to complete the forms. Do what you can to either assist your husband in filling out this paperwork or seek the assistance of someone like an attorney who is knowledgeable about the forms required.
If your husband’s employer contests his injury claim – such as one under the Jones Act– you may need to testify as to your husband’s physical condition.
Since you live with your husband, you may be the best resource on his daily limitations and abilities. In addition, if you attend your husband’s doctor visits with him, you can provide corroboration as to what the doctor told your husband regarding his injury.
When someone in a family is injured, all members of the family suffer emotional pain and distress. For some spouses, this pain and suffering can be compensable. You may be able to file a lawsuit, or join your husband’s lawsuit, and seek damages to compensate your family for its suffering after your husband’s accident.
This is only the case if your husband is not a seaman under the Jones Act. The spouses of seamen do not have a right to sue for the pain and distress caused by a seaman’s injury under the Jones Act. But if pursuing a general maritime claim, spouses of injured workers can pursue the emotional distress they’ve experienced as a result of a husband’s injury.
The Young Firm represents offshore workers and their families, and prides itself on guiding families through the difficult times following a work accident. If your husband has been injured, call (866) 701-8647 to speak with a maritime attorney about your family’s concerns.
