Longshoremen and Harbor Workers Compensation Act

New Orleans, LA Offshore Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

The Longshoremen and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA) is designed to provide coverage for injured maritime workers who are not able to pursue compensation under the Jones Act because they are not seaman.  According to the U.S. Department of Labor, LHWCA provides work-related injury and occupational disease protection to approximately 500,000 maritime workers.  

Longshoremen and Harbor Workers Compensation Act benefits are similar to state workers’ compensation benefits and include medical payments, rehab services, disability payments, and death benefits.  The LHWCA is also no-fault, meaning that a maritime worker or his surviving family may collect these benefits regardless of whether the maritime employer was at fault for a given accident that led to injury or death.

Workers covered by the Longshoremen and Harbor Workers Compensation Act are generally those that build, service, load, and repair ships along with those responsible for driving trucks, operating forklifts, and handling cargo.  The types of workers also include maritime workers that work aboard fixed offshore platforms as opposed to vessels.

Under the LHWCA, injured maritime workers are required to adhere to several important deadlines regarding the filing of forms, appealing of decisions, etc.  It is always a good idea to report an injury to your employer immediately after it happened.  It also wise to consult an attorney as soon as possible to make sure that you comply with the applicable deadlines. 

If you or a family member has been seriously injured or killed as a result of a maritime accident, it is very important that you contact a highly skilled, Longshoreman and Harbor Workers Compensation Act lawyer immediately.  HHK is the best equipped law firm to handle your personal injury claim stemming from an offshore maritime accident.  Learn about your legal rights from an experienced Louisiana offshore maritime injury lawyer by calling 504-581-4892 or by filling out our free, no obligation case review form.