I hurt my back while working as a commercial lobsterman off the coast of New England. Can I recover damages?
Yes. You may be able to recover damages if you were hurt doing your job as a commercial lobsterman. The exact damages that you are able to recover will depend on the specific facts of your case.
Don’t Jeopardize Your Recovery
While the law may allow you to make a fair recovery for your commercial lobster fishing injuries, there are things that you should do to protect yourself. Specifically, it is important:
- Not to give a signed or recorded statement—especially if you have not already spoken with a lawyer.
- To see a doctor. You may be able to recover damages for your medical expenses, up to the maximum medical cure, and for your maintenance costs, such as food and housing, while your injuries keep you out of work. However, you will need to establish what those injuries are before you can recover damages.
Additionally, it is important that you don’t agree to a settlement before talking to a lawyer or go back to work without clearance from your doctor.
Instead, Protect Your Rights After a Back Injury
You can protect your potential damages by seeing a doctor, following your doctor’s orders, and by watching what you say (or not saying anything) before you contact a lawyer.
Your recovery is important. It may help end your pain. It may help get you back to work. Don’t play games with it; instead, learn more about your rights in our free guide for injured maritime workers.
