Maus If you’re a longshoreman at the Port of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Canaveral, or anywhere else along Florida’s shoreline, nobody has to tell you your job is dangerous. If you’re hurt on the job, your employer’s insurer may offer you a quick settlement hoping you’ll be happy to receive anything. But the insurance company cares first and foremost about its own bottom line, not your treatment and recovery.
When to Contact a Fort Lauderdale Longshoremen Injury Lawyer
Obviously, if you’re hurt on the job, you must first get any emergency medical treatment required. As soon as you are stabilized you need to speak with a Fort Lauderdale work accident attorney with experience in longshoremen claims. To protect your rights, you should speak with your attorney before you talk to the insurance company, your employer, or the doctor your employer assigns to you.
The Hazards of the Longshoreman’s Job
Besides unloading cargo from ships, longshoremen have to run heavy machinery, operate winches, attach slings around cargo containers, and keep all necessary heavy equipment in sound working condition. Hand, leg, and back injuries are common among longshoremen, as are repetitive motion injuries. The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) is the type of Workers’ Comp insurance you’re covered under.
Compensation You May Be Entitled To
You work in a dangerous and demanding profession, and if you are injured on the job, you may be entitled to benefits that include medical benefits, work rehabilitation benefits, supplemental income, and Workers Comp benefits. A Fort Lauderdale work accident attorney knows how to determine which benefits you’re eligible for and exactly how to go about qualifying for them.
Your Employer Has Legal Representation; You Should Too
You may like your employer very much, but that doesn’t change the fact that if you’re hurt on the job, your employer and their LHWCA insurer want to protect their bottom lines. They have plenty of legal representation on their side, and it’s only fair that you, a professional in a dangerous job, have competent, experienced legal representation too. Your future physical and financial well-being could depend on it.