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Lehmbecker Law Firm

Bellevue Personal Injury Lawyers

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What is Unseaworthiness?

Unseaworthiness: What it is and why it happens

Being involved in an accident aboard a boat is scary, but once the initial emergency has passed, you may find the aftermath to be even more anxiety-inducing. Figuring out how to move on with your life when you have to deal with an injury can be extremely difficult, and you deserve help.

Before you can figure out whether you have a claim, it’s important to understand exactly what
unseaworthiness
means, how it relates to maritime injuries, and how a lawyer can help. Let’s address these topics here so you have the best possible chance of receiving fair compensation.

What Is Unseaworthiness?

According to Oxford Dictionaries, an unseaworthy boat or ship is one that is “not in a good enough condition to sail on the sea.” Dictionary.com adds that a seaworthy vessel is defined as “constructed, outfitted, manned, and in all respects fitted for a voyage at sea.”

And lastly, the United States Courts for the Ninth Circuit says “a vessel is unseaworthy if the vessel, or any of its parts or equipment, is not reasonably fit for its intended purpose [or if its crew is not reasonably adequate or competent to perform the work assigned],” and offers additional definitions as well as the owner’s responsibilities.

How Does Unseaworthiness Relate to Maritime Injuries?

Maritime injuries are those that happen at sea and if you can prove a maritime injury, you are likely to receive compensation from the responsible party. According to the California Law Review at Berkeley Law, “The injured seaman is entitled to medical expenses, past and prospective, indemnity for loss of earnings, past and prospective, and an amount on account of his physical injuries and for pain and suffering.”

These laws are pretty much the same in most states across the U.S., since they are regulated by a federal act known as the Jones Act, also referred to as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920.

Examples of Unseaworthiness

Unseaworthiness can take many forms, and it’s important to be familiar with them if you want to give yourself the best chance of successfully winning your claim. Some common examples include:

  • Old, broken, or otherwise malfunctioning equipment or maintenance tools
  • Failure to inspect the boat and its equipment on a routine basis
  • Unsafe or missing ladders, handrails, steps, pathways or access points, or access equipment without adequate grip
  • Cluttered, flooded, slippery, or unsecured decks
  • Antiquated or completely missing safety gear
  • Untrained, poorly trained, or too few crew members and practice of unsafe work procedures

While these are not the only examples of unseaworthiness, they account for the majority of cases. To learn whether your case qualifies even if it doesn’t seem to fit with these examples, you should get a lawyer’s help.

Get a Lawyer’s Help

If you want to find out more about how to file a claim of unseaworthiness and proceed with the best possible chance of getting compensation, it helps to speak with a qualified, knowledgeable lawyer.

At Lehmbecker Law Firm you can get a free case review to learn how we can help you. Please get in touch to learn more about your options and how we can help today.

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Settlements:

$460,000

Obtained for our client after being hit by driver making an illegal U-turn.

$5.7 Million

obtained for our client after being hit by a car while taking a walk in Bellevue, WA.

$2,000,000

for our client who suffered permanent cardiovascular impairment after his surgeon performed an unnecessary procedure during a heart surgery.

$2,000,000

for a young woman who suffered multiple orthopedic injuries after being struck in a crosswalk by a taxicab.

$2,000,000

for an elderly woman who suffered a shoulder injury after being struck in a crosswalk by a delivery van.

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Client Reviews:

“Please allow me to take this moment of your time to say thank you to all the members in your firm who worked on my case. I was so proud of the way my attorney handled herself and stood by myside during the court proceedings. It has been an honor and a privilege for me having all your legal help and advice for the past two years. It’s hard to say goodbye. Again, thank you.”

Kim Kent, WA

“Thanks again for all your help! You made a difficult situation much easier on us. We really appreciate everything you’ve done.”

Alana

“Lehmbecker Law has been outstanding in helping me deal with my Workers’ Comp claim. Before I hired them, it was very stressful trying to deal with the insurance companies and the medical bills. As soon as Lehmbecker Law took my case, my stress levels dropped and I was able to concentrate on getting better. I would highly recommend them to anyone who needs help with their workers’ comp claim.”

N.H. Woodinville, WA

“After a full year of fighting, Lehmbecker Law got me a full year of back wage loss. I couldn’t be happier or more relieved. This will make such a difference in my life. Now we are working on my vocational plan. Lehmbecker Law has been there for me and I will recommend them to anyone who needs help fighting L&I.”

A. Mayberry Woodinville, WA

“After my mother and I were involved in a car accident at the Westfield Shopping Mall at Southcenter I was in a lot of pain. Having your law firm oversee my medical treatment and make sure my bills got paid took away a lot of my stress. And, the settlement I received was even more than I expected. I recommend that anyone involved in a car accident call you and get representation. I truly believe I received a bigger settlement with you fighting for me than I would have gotten on my own.”

M. Bonifacio Federal Way, WA

“I am very happy with the results I received from settling two different cases I had with Mr. Lehmbecker and his law firm.

Mr. Lehmbecker is a very caring and knowledgeable attorney and I felt confident throughout both my cases that he would give me excellent results. I highly recommend Mr. Lehmbecker to anyone who has a personal injury, worker’s compensation or medical malpractice case.”

Y. Knotts Redmond, WA

“I am a lawyer in this community and have had the pleasure of working side by side with two lawyers from this firm, as well as some of the staff members. I am always glad to see other lawyers in the community doing a good job in representing their clients, and the lawyers with Larry Lehmbecker’s office will do that.”

“I have known Larry Lehmbecker for 15 years. I have conferred with Larry over the years regarding personal injury and workers’ compensation issues because I respect his knowledge and experience. I have always found his problem solving and case strategy skills to be thoughtful, practical, and helpful. I consider Larry to be one of top attorneys in his field.”

Attorney Christine Foster

“I had never been in a motor vehicle accident before, and I didn’t know who to turn to for help. After doing research on law firms in the area, I learned about Lehmbecker Law. My case was not an easy one, and there was a lot of emotion along the way. The team at Lehmbecker Law was terrific at navigating the difficulties of my case, from beginning to end. Throughout the process they were responsive, professional, and put my mind at ease during a difficult time. I strongly recommend that anybody who has been in a serious accident reach out to Lehmbecker Law.”

Katrina Issaquah

“Recently, I needed legal services to help me with my injury claim resulting from a drunk driver. The team at Lehmbecker Law was very helpful in the resolution of my claim. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have known how to address the many issues in my case. I would strongly recommend Lehmbecker Law for people who are injured and need help.”

Mozeyl Seattle

“This is an outstanding firm. I have used them twice now, and I would recommend them strongly to anybody who needs legal advice. I had a great experience with both of my cases. They are a very caring firm that truly has their clients’ best interests at heart.”

Darcelle Snohomish

“This law firm is Great. They kept me informed on all that was going on, they cared, were compassionate, kept on top of it like you were their only client. They are not afraid to take on the big companies to help out the little guy. Always straight shooters with me never had to ask twice and when I did have a question if the person I talked to didn’t know the answer they would find out what it was and always called you back. I never had a problem getting to talk to someone in the office, they never put me off with I will have them call you back unless they were not in the office, they always called back in a timely manner and with the questions I wanted answered. Great people to work with.I would recommend this law firm without hesitation to anyone that needed a great lawyer. I have had other lawyers in the past for different reasons and most of the time it was hard to get to speak to someone in the office not here. If you want a great law team on your side choose Larry Lehmbecker.”

Brenda

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Locations:

Washington Federal Building
400 108th Ave NE, Ste. 500 Bellevue, WA 98004

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1066 S. 320th St.
Building K, Suite F
Federal Way, WA 98003

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Lehmbecker Law

Bellevue Car Accident Lawyer

400 - 108th Ave. NE, Suite 500 Bellevue, WA 98004

(425) 455-3186 (888) 889-6895