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The Importance of Personal Safety Gear to Your Maritime Injury Claim

There is little protecting you from the dangers of the sea when you are working on a vessel. Even when the captain and all of the crew members use reasonable care and prevent negligent mistakes, accidents can still happen. While not all maritime accidents can be prevented, maritime employers have a responsibility to ensure that seamen are working on vessels that are deemed seaworthy. An important part of seaworthiness is making sure that all crew members are provided with appropriate safety equipment and that they know how to use such equipment.

Appropriate Personal Safety Gear

According to the Jones Act, seaworthiness is a concept that is unique to each and every vessel. Thus, not all vessels require the same type of personal safety gear. For example, vessels that operate in the frigid waters of the Northern Atlantic may need different types of gear than the vessels that operate in the warmer waters off the coast of Florida. Additionally, commercial fishing vessels may require different types of safety gear than passenger vessels.

While different vessels have different requirements, there are some common types of maritime personal safety equipment that many vessels require. Life boats, life jackets, cables and stow lines are, for example, necessary on many voyages.

Training a Competent Crew

It is not enough that the appropriate types of personal safety gear be present on the boat. The gear will do little good in an emergency if the crew members do not know how to use it. Therefore, in order to be deemed seaworthy for purposes of the Jones Act, the crew members must have been appropriately trained and must be competent with regard to their safety equipment.

Contact a New Jersey and New York Jones Act Attorney for More Information

If you have suffered a maritime injury because your vessel lacked personal safety gear or you, or another crew member, was not trained on how to use such equipment, then you may be entitled to Jones Act damages.

For more information about your rights please contact a New York and New Jersey Jones Act attorney at Hofmann & Schweitzer to discuss your potential claim. Each New Jersey and New York maritime lawyer in our office has the experience that you need if you’ve been injured. Please contact us today at 1-800-3-MAY-DAY or via our online contact form for a free consultation.

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