United States Seafoods Maritime Injury Claims

United States Seafoods is a leading producer in Alaska’s multispecies groundfish fisheries. Based out of Seattle, the company has a fleet of six vessels that operate in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands:

• F/T Seafreeze Alaska,
• F/T Seafreeze America,
• F/T Legacy,
• F/V Alaska Provider,
• F/V Alaska Knight, and
• F/V Alaska Endeavor.

Working off the coast of Alaska on a United States Seafoods vessel involves the risk of injury and even death. Because of the dangers maritime workers face, the law has expanded remedies available to seamen injured at work. It is important to work with an experienced attorney specializing in maritime law if you think you have a claim because this area of the law is complicated. The three primary legal claims available to injured seamen are 1) maintenance and cure, 2) the doctrine of unseaworthiness, and 3) the Jones Act.

Maintenance and cure are benefits that most maritime workers receive if they are injured on the job, no matter who was at fault. You are eligible for maintenance and cure even if your injury is an aggravated pre-existing condition. Maintenance includes payments to cover your ordinary living expenses. Cure provides compensation for all reasonable and necessary medical expenses. You are entitled to receive maintenance and cure until you are recovered, or your condition will not get any better. These benefits are often essential for injured seamen and their families to survive. If United States Seafoods refuses to pay proper maintenance and cure benefits, you may be entitled to additional damages.

Under the doctrine of unseaworthiness, vessel owners, like United States Seafoods, have the absolute duty to provide its seamen with a seaworthy vessel. Seaworthy means much more than the boat that doesn’t sink. The vessel and its equipment must be in working order and reasonably fit for their intended use. Vessel owners are strictly liable for injuries that are caused by an unseaworthy condition. This means that the injured employee does not need to prove that United States Seafoods was negligent to recover.

The Jones Act provides seamen injured on the job with a cause of action against negligent employers. This ability makes the maritime industry different than most other industries where employees are limited to workers’ compensation. The damages available under the Jones Act are wide-reaching and include the following: lost past wages, lost future wages, medical expenses, disfigurement, pain and suffering, disability, loss of use of body parts, loss of enjoyment of life, lost future earning capacity, costs of re-education or re-training, lost fringe benefits, lost pension benefits, and lost vacation pay.

Kraft Davies Olsson PLLC is a nationally recognized leader in maritime personal injury law. Kraft Davies has significant experience representing injured seamen against United States Seafoods. We understand the fishing industry and know how to get you the compensation that you deserve. If you or a loved one were injured in a commercial fishing or shipping accident, contact the attorneys at Kraft Davies today at 206-624-8844 or through this website.