An Offshore Injuries Attorney Goes Through Significant Training
The heavy and hazardous cargoes, such as huge boxes of retail products, gasoline, or research chemicals, can cause massive amounts of property damage and even death among the crew if improperly secured.
Thankfully, a significant amount of legislation exists to preserve the rights of seamen.
The Jones Act of 1920 codified the rights of sailors to a safe and hazard-free working environment, and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) puts forth strict guidelines to nearly all industrial environments.
With that being said, accidents do happen.
When this occurs, the first call should be to a qualified offshore injuries attorney.
This legal professional is someone who has not just gone through law school and passed the bar exam, but has also studied the complex rules and regulations that govern offshore law.
To be a specialist in personal injury law, which includes situations found in maritime environments, a lawyer must take a specialty certification program from the American Bar Association.
The test varies from state to state, as it regulates the attorneys with regard to the specific rules of professional responsibility they are bound by.
In addition, most maritime injury lawyers will choose to take courses in maritime regulations.
Continuing education in both of these fields is important for legal professionals: continuing legal ed (or CLE) courses are required for all attorneys, especially those who are specialists in their field.
While the number of hours required for these courses varies by state, Finally, the major deciding factor in what an offshore injury attorneys go through is specialization of cases.
By choosing only to accept a certain kind of case - rigging accidents, for example, or shipping suits - attorneys can build their portfolio of successes and gain notoriety in their field.
As with any other kind of business, satisfied clients tend to spread the word to fellow longshoremen, sailors, or seamen, and a following begins to grow.
Additionally, working in a specific field has the advantage of letting the budding attorney learn more and more about the law as it is practiced in a real world application, rather than in academia.
A successful offshore injuries attorney has gone through a lot to attain prowess in their field, so it should be a natural choice to consult with one rather than to try to go it alone.
Insurance companies and shipping crews make their living by denying as many claims as possible, so don't attempt to negotiate by yourself.
Having a trained, experienced, and capable lawyer on your side means that your claim will be heard and justice will be served.