Maritime Related Deaths
An accidental death, unfortunately, occurs to cruise ship passengers, seamen, crew members, longshoremen, and harbor workers. These tragic consequences can result from a wide array of circumstances on the ocean, inland navigable waters, or locations in close proximity to the water, e.g., piers and loading docks. Examples include: collisions between pleasure yachts, out-of-control “go-fast” boats, reckless Jet Ski operators, defective cranes and/or forklifts used for loading stores, substandard or delayed medical care on or off a cruise ship, and the list goes on. The applicable law and amount of damages loved ones are entitled to depend upon whether or not the deceased was a maritime worker or cruise ship passenger and where the death occurred. There are four bodies of maritime law which deal with fatalities. These are general maritime law (federal common law), the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, and the Death on the High Seas Act.
