Los Angeles Maritime and Admiralty Attorney
The attorneys at Rose, Klein & Marias LLP have extensive experience representing clients in maritime and admiralty cases. We proudly help individuals such as injured offshore workers and cruise ship accident victims in Southern California seek justice.
If you or someone you love was injured in an accident in the Port of Los Angeles or offshore, contact us to arrange a free case consultation. We will listen to your story, answer your questions and give you tailored legal advice for moving forward.
Why Choose Our Los Angeles Maritime and Admiralty Attorney?
- We have been serving clients in California since 1936. Our attorneys have in-depth knowledge of how complex maritime and admiralty injury cases work.
- Our results speak for themselves – we have recovered over $5 billion in settlements and verdicts for our clients. We know how to get the case outcomes our clients need.
- You won’t pay your maritime injury lawyer from Rose, Klein & Marias LLP anything unless we win your case. Our Los Angeles personal injury attorneys take all cases on a contingency fee basis.
How Can a Maritime Injury Attorney in Los Angeles Help You?
The right maritime injury attorney in Los Angeles can be critical to your physical and financial recovery if you’ve been injured in an accident on the water or while working an offshore job. This area of the law is complicated and involves state statutes as well as federal admiralty regulations (laws relating to ships or the sea).
A lawyer will know how to navigate special laws in a way that protects your rights and best interests. While you focus on healing, your lawyer can investigate the incident, explain the maritime laws that affect your case, gather evidence, interview witnesses, work with maritime experts and handle other complex legal processes.
You can trust your attorney to deal with insurance adjusters and negotiate for the best possible settlement on your behalf. If necessary, your lawyer can bring your case to trial in Los Angeles to maximize your financial recovery.
Common Types of Maritime Accidents in Los Angeles
The Port of Los Angeles is the busiest container port in North America. It stretches over 7,500 acres of land and water along 43 miles of waterfront property. This port houses both passenger and cargo ship terminals as well as multiple warehouses.
Many accidents and injuries can occur in the Port of Los Angeles – especially if someone is negligent or fails to act with an appropriate amount of care. Common examples include:
- Maritime crew member injuries: injuries and illnesses suffered by offshore workers or while working in a shipyard, such as falls, struck-by objects, oil rig accidents, crane collapses, cargo-related incidents, transportation accidents, and fires or explosions.
- Recreational boating accidents: passenger injuries from offshore accidents involving recreational boats, yachts, jet skis or activities such as parasailing and scuba diving. This includes slip and falls on vessels, equipment malfunctions, and boating collisions.
- Cruise ship accidents: dozens of the most popular cruise lines launch out of Los Angeles or are headquartered in LA. Suffering an injury or illness on a cruise ship could entitle you to financial compensation from the cruise line.
- Maritime trucking accidents: thousands of big rigs carry shipments through the Port of Los Angeles daily. A commercial truck accident at the port could lead to a claim against the trucking, cargo or logistics company.
Trades through the Port of Los Angeles create nearly 1 million jobs in California alone.
Whether you were injured while working or on vacation in the port or offshore, we can help. The attorneys at Rose, Klein & Marias LLP accept all of these case types and more in Los Angeles County. An experienced workers compensation attorney in Los Angeles at our firm can provide expert legal representation for your case.
Important Admiralty Laws to Know
A successful maritime injury claim in Los Angeles requires you to successfully navigate all of the laws and rules that apply to your case. These may include the following:
- Jones Act: a key maritime law in the U.S. that gives injured seamen the right to seek justice by filing civil claims. Unlike most workers in Los Angeles, maritime workers are permitted to sue their employers in tort claims and jury trials in pursuit of financial compensation for an employer’s negligence.
- Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA): a federal law designed to compensate maritime workers who get injured while performing their job duties. LHWCA will pay for an injured worker’s medical bills and death benefits. It fills in gaps created by the Jones Act and California’s workers’ compensation laws.
- Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA): a federal maritime law that allows the family members of individuals who die on the high seas to file wrongful death claims against responsible parties. It applies to deaths that occur on ships. DOHSA allows for the recovery of lost financial support, but does not compensate for pain and suffering.
As your attorneys, we will do what it takes to maximize your financial recovery under state and federal admiralty laws. We can pursue compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, lost future earnings, pain and suffering, the death of a loved one, and more.
What Is the Statute of Limitations on a Maritime or Admiralty Case in Los Angeles?
It is important not to wait if you think you have grounds for a claim due to a maritime injury in Los Angeles. All admiralty cases have statutes of limitations, or legal filing deadlines:
- If you are filing a claim under the Jones Act, you have three years to bring your claim from the date the injury occurred.
- If you are bringing a claim under California’s personal injury statute of limitations (Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1), you have two years to take legal action.
- If you are filing a claim under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, you have a time limit of just one year.
- Cruise passengers typically have a statute of limitations of one year on personal injury claims under the cruise line’s liability contract.
Waiting too long puts you at risk of missing your statute of limitations and being “time-barred” or blocked from filing. Contact a maritime injury attorney as soon as possible.
Contact Our Knowledgeable Maritime and Admiralty Attorneys in Los Angeles Today
It can be devastating to suffer an injury while working or enjoying recreational activities on the water off the coast of Los Angeles. Whether you were injured while working at the port or while on a cruise line headquartered in LA, we can help.
Contact the maritime and admiralty attorneys at Rose, Klein & Marias LLP for a free consultation about your rights and legal options. Call us at (800) 362-7427 or send us a message to schedule your meeting.