Knee injuries can be disastrous for anybody, but that is especially true for maritime workers who spend their career performing heavy labor aboard commercial vessels. The femur (thighbone) and tibia (shin bone) are connected by the knee, as are the femur and patella (kneecap). Ligaments, tendons, and muscles attach to the fibula and other bones to allow mobility and stabilize the knee. An injury to some of these vital components could make it difficult for a person to walk, run, or do strenuous labor. The knee, which is made up of bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons, is the body's largest joint and is prone to a variety of illnesses. One of the most common maritime injuries is knee injuries. Seamen commonly sustain the following knee injuries:
Fractures
Tendinitis or inflammation
Bursitis
Contusions
Injury to the ACL (Anterior cruciate ligament), LCL (Lateral collateral ligament), PCL (Posterior cruciate ligament), or MCL (Medial collateral ligament)
One-time accidents, such as slipping and falling on the floor or being crushed by heavy machinery, might result in knee injuries. Overuse, on the other hand, can cause problems too. Treatment will vary depending on the type and degree of the maritime injury. A physical examination, x-ray, or MRI may be required to diagnose the knee injury. Braces and physiotherapy can help with some knee injuries, while surgery is required for others. Under the Jones Act, seamen who sustain knee injuries on the job may be entitled to compensation.
The Jones Act is a federal statute that offers powerful legal remedies for maritime injuries. It mandates that businesses provide a suitably safe working environment for their sailors. If a seaman is hurt as a consequence of their company's or coworker's negligence, the injured mariner may have a claim for negligence damages. Negligence can take various forms, including giving harmful or inappropriate directions, creating an unsafe environment, or allowing employees to engage in dangerous behavior. If employers would act with safety in mind, the majority of maritime injuries could be prevented.
Maritime workers can also suffer from knee strains. It happens when the tendons or muscles around the knee are stretched, usually as a result of the knee being hyper flexed or hyperextended. These strains can produce pain outside of the knee joint, as well as impairment of the knee's range of motion. The patellar tendon runs from the bottom of the kneecap to the front of the tibia bone in the leg.
Maritime employees are particularly vulnerable to knee injuries due to the rigorous, physically demanding nature of their profession, which is performed in a variety of environments. Knee injuries are common among maritime employees who are loading or unloading cargo on a ship, barge, tugboat, or fishing vessel, or on the docks. Marine workers tend to do rigorous physical tasks, which sometime result in knee injuries. In certain situations, the seaman's injury is so severe that he or she will never be able to go back to working on the water.
Knee injuries can cause excruciating pain and, in the worst-case scenario, permanent incapacity, so it's crucial to understand your legal options if you've been injured while working in the maritime sector.
Treatment for the damage, as well as other medical costs, may be required for months or even years. Invasive medical operations, such as reconstructive surgery or partial or total knee replacement can be a possible solution. Knee injuries can result in a lengthy rehabilitation period as well as job loss. Knee injuries in the maritime industry are caused or exacerbated by insufficient training and equipment.
Mariner Law, PLLC has experience with a wide range of knee ailments, including ACL and meniscus tears, ligament and cartilage damage, chondromalacia, and degenerative joint disease. Admiralty Attorney Adam Deitz has handled cases where mariners have suffered knee replacements, reconstructions, and medial meniscus operations, among other procedures.
It is critical to have a salty maritime lawyer on your side if you have sustained a significant and permanent knee injury while working at sea. With maritime experience in addition to legal experience, Mariner Law, PLLC is familiar with how accidents occur on ships, tugboats, barges, and fishing vessels, as well as how they may have been avoided.
Loss of earnings in the past and future, compensation for the incapacity to work as before, medical expenses, reimbursements, pain and suffering, emotional anguish, and loss of the ability to enjoy life are all damages that may be available to a mariner with a workplace knee injury. Contact a maritime attorney at Mariner Law, PLLC to explore your knee injury claim if you were injured in a marine accident. You may be entitled to money damages under the Jones Act, LHWCA, unseaworthiness, and maintenance and cure.
Your maritime knee injuries may have been caused by negligence or unseaworthiness. If you are no longer qualified to work or cannot continue regular duties at a former job owing to knee injuries, you may have legal rights to compensation. A Jones Act lawyer at Mariner Law, PLLC is here to help. Contact (253) 600-2531 now. The firm proudly serves mariner clients in Washington, Oregon, New York, Connecticut, Alaska, and nationwide.