LONGSHORE ACT

LONGSHORE AND HARBOR WORKERS’ COMPENSATION ACT

imgres (2)The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, commonly referred to as the “Longshore Act,” is a federal workers’ compensation act that provides certain benefits to maritime employees (or their family members) who have suffered a work-related injury, occupational disease, or death during their employment. If you qualify as a Longshoreman under the Act, you will be eligible to receive benefits that include weekly indemnity benefits calculated at two thirds of your average weekly wage, as well as medical benefits.

DETERMINING WHETHER YOU ARE A LONGSHOREMAN

Individuals seeking to pursue a claim underimgres the Longshore Act must meet two requirements in order to be eligible for benefits. First, the employee who sustained a job-related injury must have been engaged in “maritime work” at the time of his accident. Maritime workers generally include longshoreman, dock or harbor workers, and individuals who work in shipyards. Second, the injured maritime employee must have performed his job duties on, near, or adjacent to a navigable body of water in order to be entitled to compensation under the Act.

The Longshore Act and the Jones Act are very different from each other. Determining which Act you fall under can be a difficult task, which is why we encourage you to consult an experienced and knowledgable maritime attorney.

The attorneys at Discon Law Firm have extensive experience in handling maritime cases. Cases we have handled have resulted in laws, which clarify who is a Jones Act Seaman versus a Longshoreman, which is a critical determination necessary to obtain the proper and joint compensation for you.