Texas is home to some of the busiest ports in the United States, including Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Port Arthur, Beaumont, Brownsville, Freeport, and Texas City. Every day, thousands of seamen, longshore workers, offshore employees, pilots, engineers, deckhands, and contractors work aboard vessels throughout the Gulf Coast.
Unfortunately, ship injuries in Texas are common. Whether you were injured aboard a cargo ship, tanker, tugboat, barge, dredge, offshore supply vessel, cruise ship, fishing vessel, or another commercial vessel, you may be entitled to significant compensation under federal maritime law.
At Gilman & Allison, LLP, our attorneys have real maritime backgrounds and decades of experience handling serious maritime injury claims throughout Texas and the Gulf Coast.
If you suffered a ship injury in Texas, contact us for a free consultation today.
Why Ship Injuries Are Different Than Regular Workplace Accidents
A ship injury is rarely governed by ordinary Texas workers’ compensation laws.
Instead, your case may fall under:
- The Jones Act
- General Maritime Law
- The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA)
- The Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA)
- The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA)
Each law provides different rights, deadlines, and available damages.
Determining which law applies is one of the most important parts of any maritime injury claim.
Common Ship Injuries in Texas
Working aboard a vessel exposes crewmembers to dangerous conditions every day.
Common ship injuries include:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Falling overboard
- Ladder accidents
- Crane accidents
- Cargo accidents
- Winch and mooring line injuries
- Crush injuries
- Heavy equipment accidents
- Engine room explosions
- Fires aboard vessels
- Chemical exposure
- Electrical injuries
- Broken bones
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Brain injuries (TBI)
- Burn injuries
- Amputations
- Fatal maritime accidents
Many of these injuries occur because of unsafe equipment, poor maintenance, inadequate training, or crew negligence.
What Causes Ship Injuries?
Most serious maritime accidents are preventable.
Common causes include:
- Unsafe decks
- Slippery walking surfaces
- Defective ladders
- Broken gangways
- Equipment failures
- Improper cargo loading
- Crane failures
- Lack of maintenance
- Understaffed crews
- Fatigue
- Failure to follow safety procedures
- Poor vessel inspections
- Unseaworthy conditions
- Negligent vessel operation
Even a single unsafe condition may create liability under maritime law.
Who Can File a Ship Injury Claim?
Depending on your job, you may qualify under different federal laws.
Workers who frequently qualify include:
- Merchant mariners
- Deckhands
- Able-bodied seamen
- Engineers
- Captains
- Mates
- Pilots
- Tugboat crews
- Barge workers
- Tanker crews
- Dredge workers
- Offshore supply vessel crews
- Ferry workers
- Fishing vessel crews
- Harbor workers
- Longshore workers
- Port employees
- Ship repair workers
- Shipyard workers
Determining your legal status is critical because it affects the compensation available.
Jones Act Claims for Ship Injuries
Many injured seamen are protected under the Jones Act.
Unlike traditional workers’ compensation, the Jones Act allows injured maritime workers to sue their employer for negligence.
Even slight employer negligence may support recovery.
Examples include:
- Failure to provide a safe place to work
- Unsafe equipment
- Improper training
- Inadequate staffing
- Failure to enforce safety rules
- Dangerous work assignments
Jones Act claims often allow recovery for:
- Lost wages
- Future lost earnings
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Disability
- Loss of earning capacity
Unseaworthiness Claims
Shipowners also owe workers a duty to provide a seaworthy vessel.
A vessel may be considered unseaworthy because of:
- Unsafe equipment
- Broken machinery
- Defective ladders
- Missing safety devices
- Inadequate crew
- Dangerous work methods
- Unsafe decks
- Improper maintenance
Many ship injury cases involve both Jones Act negligence and unseaworthiness claims.
Longshore Workers Have Rights Too
Not every maritime worker is considered a seaman.
Longshore workers, harbor workers, terminal employees, and ship repair workers are often covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA).
Benefits may include:
- Medical treatment
- Temporary disability benefits
- Permanent disability benefits
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Death benefits for surviving family members
In some situations, injured workers may also have claims against negligent vessel owners or third parties.
Compensation Available After a Ship Injury
Depending on your case, you may recover compensation for:
- Past medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Future lost earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Physical impairment
- Mental anguish
- Disability
- Loss of earning capacity
- Disfigurement
- Wrongful death damages
The value of a maritime injury case depends on numerous factors, including the severity of the injury and its long-term impact.
Texas Ports Where Ship Injuries Frequently Occur
Gilman & Allison represents maritime workers injured throughout Texas, including:
- Houston Ship Channel
- Port of Houston
- Port of Galveston
- Port of Corpus Christi
- Port Arthur
- Beaumont
- Freeport
- Brownsville
- Texas City
- Sabine Pass
- Offshore Gulf of Mexico
We also represent injured seamen working worldwide aboard vessels owned by Texas companies.
What To Do After a Ship Injury
If you are injured aboard a vessel:
- Report the injury immediately.
- Seek medical treatment.
- Request copies of accident reports.
- Photograph the accident scene if possible.
- Preserve witness information.
- Do not sign documents without understanding your rights.
- Contact an experienced maritime attorney as soon as possible.
Early investigation often makes a significant difference in maritime cases.
Why Choose Gilman & Allison?
Maritime law is highly specialized.
Our attorneys understand the maritime industry because they have worked in it.
Our firm represents injured maritime workers throughout Texas and the Gulf Coast and has experience handling:
- Jones Act claims
- Ship injury lawsuits
- Vessel negligence cases
- Unseaworthiness claims
- LHWCA claims
- Offshore injuries
- 905(b) vessel claims
- Tugboat accidents
- Barge accidents
- Offshore platform injuries
- Wrongful death claims
- Serious catastrophic maritime injuries
We know the unique challenges facing injured maritime workers and fight to obtain the compensation they deserve.
Contact a Texas Ship Injury Lawyer Today
If you were injured aboard a ship, cargo vessel, tanker, tugboat, barge, offshore vessel, or another commercial vessel, do not assume you have to face the process alone.
The maritime attorneys at Gilman & Allison, LLP represent injured maritime workers across Texas and the United States.
We offer free consultations, and you pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Call (713) 224-6622 today or contact us online to discuss your Texas ship injury case.