Last month a longshoreman filed a lawsuit against his employer Employus, as well as Louisiana International Marine after he was injured in a boat collision.

The man was a deckhand onboard a 30-foot aluminum workboat at the time of the collision. He claimed the collision with the other vessel involved, owned by Louisiana International Marine, caused the boat he was on to run aground. This reportedly resulted in the man being thrown on the deck of the vessel. The accident occurred in the Bayou LaFourche.

The deckhand claimed the incident caused him to sustain serious injuries. Some of them, he says are permanent and disabling.

The lawsuit alleges the defendants were negligent for failing to do a wide variety of things including but not limited to: failing to avoid the collision, not seeing things that they should have and failing to provide him with a safe place to work.

Damages sought in the lawsuit are for, among other things, medical expenses, maintenance and cure benefits, both mental and physical pain and suffering and loss of earning capacity.

Workers' compensation benefits are not available to seamen. Seaman injured while working at a job on the water may be entitled to maintenance and cure. Similar to workers' compensation benefits, it provides some lost wages as well as compensation for medical expenses.

Maritime laws are different from those that govern incidents that occur on the land. For that reason, when facing such a matter, it is a good idea to consult a maritime lawyer.

We will continue to monitor this case and post updates as they become available.

Source: The Louisiana Record, "Longshoreman sues after boat collision forces workboat to run aground," Michelle Keahey, Nov. 21, 2011