After a serious maritime injury, one of the first questions you’re likely asking is: How much is my maritime injury case worth? You’re not just dealing with pain or recovery. You’re also facing lost wages, mounting medical bills, and a future that may look very different from the one you had planned.
Maritime law offers strong protections for injured seamen, whether you were hurt on a commercial vessel, oil rig, tugboat, or barge. But the value of your claim depends on more than just your injury. It depends on how the accident happened, what your employer did afterward, and the legal action you take now.
At Kolodny Law Firm, PLLC, we help injured maritime workers across Texas understand what their case is worth and fight for every dollar they’re entitled to. In this guide, we’ll break down the types of compensation available under maritime law, the factors that affect your potential settlement, and how a skilled attorney can help you recover the full value of your claim.
What Types of Compensation Might Be Available?
Maritime law offers multiple legal paths to compensation if you qualify as a seaman. The two most common are:
- Maintenance and cure under general maritime law. Your employer is legally required to pay for your daily living expenses (maintenance) and cover your medical treatment (cure) if you’re injured while serving a vessel. These benefits apply regardless of fault and are intended to support your recovery.
- Damages under the Jones Act. If your employer’s negligence contributed to your injury, you may be able to file a Jones Act lawsuit. This claim allows you to pursue broader damages, including lost wages, future medical costs, and compensation for pain and suffering.
These legal remedies are separate but often pursued together. However, you cannot be compensated twice for the same loss. For example, you can’t claim the same medical expenses under both “cure” and a Jones Act award. Experienced Houston maritime injury lawyers will help structure the claim appropriately.
What Compensation Can You Recover in a Maritime Injury Case?
If you’re eligible to bring a claim, you may be entitled to a wide range of damages beyond what maintenance and cure alone would cover. These may include:
- Medical expenses. These expenses include past medical bills and the cost of future care, especially if your injury requires long-term treatment, surgery, physical therapy, or medication.
- Lost wages. If your injury kept you off the job, you can recover the income you lost during your recovery period.
- Loss of earning capacity. If you cannot return to the same kind of work or earn what you did before, your settlement may include compensation for your reduced ability to earn.
- Pain and suffering. Maritime injuries often come with significant physical pain and emotional distress. Unlike maintenance and cure, a Jones Act claim lets you pursue compensation for this harm.
Understanding what claims to file and what damages to pursue is essential, and securing the proper legal representation can help.
What Factors Influence the Value of a Maritime Injury Settlement?
No two maritime injury cases are the same. Even if the injuries appear similar on the surface, the underlying facts can dramatically change what your case is worth. That’s why it’s impossible to predict a dollar amount without carefully reviewing the details of your situation.
Several key factors will affect the size and scope of your maritime injury settlement, including:
- The severity of your injuries. More serious or permanent injuries often justify higher compensation, especially if they affect your ability to return to maritime work.
- Your long-term medical needs. Cases involving surgeries, rehabilitation, or future medical care typically lead to higher settlements.
- Lost wages and loss of future earning potential. If your injury affects your career path or earning ability, those long-term losses must be factored into your claim.
- Whether your employer was negligent. Evidence of employer fault or vessel unseaworthiness may lead to more favorable outcomes.
- Comparative fault. If you’re found partially responsible for the accident, your compensation may be reduced proportionally. If you are more than 50% at fault, you won’t be able to recover any damages.
Understanding these factors helps explain why two seamen with similar injuries may receive very different outcomes. It also highlights the importance of working with an attorney who can evaluate every aspect of your case and fight for the full amount you deserve.
Talk to a Team of Experienced Houston Maritime Injury Lawyers
If you suffered injuries while working at sea, the value of your case depends on far more than just the type of injury you suffered. It depends on how the accident happened, the extent of your losses, your future work capacity, and whether your employer honored their legal responsibilities.
At Kolodny Law Firm, PLLC, we have represented injured maritime workers across Texas since 2012. Whether you were hurt on a vessel near Houston or offshore in the Gulf, our team is here to help you recover physically, financially, and legally.
Contact us today for a free consultation with a dedicated Houston maritime lawyer who can help answer the question: How much is my maritime injury case worth?
Alan Kolodny is committed to representing injured clients in Texas and throughout the United States. Alan earned his B.A. from Rice University and his J.D. from Southern Methodist University.
He focuses his practice on representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases involving the following matters: maritime and offshore accidents, including those under the Jones Act; automobile and 18-wheeler truck accidents; and industrial site accidents, work-related accidents, and claims for injured railroad workers under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act.
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