San Antonio Maritime Injury Lawyer

What Injured Maritime Workers Are Owed

Under maritime law, injured seamen are entitled to several key benefits. Maintenance should cover basic living expenses during recovery: rent or mortgage, utilities, and groceries. Cure is the obligation to pay for reasonable and necessary medical treatment related to your injury, from the first ER visit through rehab and follow-up care, until you reach maximum medical improvement. In many cases, you’re also entitled to unearned wages, the income you would have earned for the remainder of your voyage or contract term if you hadn’t been hurt.

Beyond those baseline benefits, you may have the right to pursue a Jones Act claim or other maritime claims for the full extent of your losses, including future medical care, long-term loss of earning capacity, and the human cost of pain, disability, and a career cut short. When a worker can’t return to maritime employment, vocational retraining costs may also be recoverable.

Too often, employers underpay maintenance, delay cure, dispute unearned wages, or push families toward quick, low-value settlements. We step in to calculate the true financial impact on your life and your family’s future, push back against lowball offers, and pursue every category of compensation the law allows, not just the ones that are convenient for the company. We’ve gone up against major insurance companies and corporations on behalf of maritime clients, and we don’t back down from that fight.

Psychological injuries matter too. PTSD, anxiety, and depression following a serious offshore or vessel accident are compensable under maritime law when properly documented and connected to the incident. We work with independent medical providers to build that record accurately and completely so no injury goes unaccounted for.

Common Maritime Accidents & Injuries

Types of Accidents We Handle

Maritime worksites present hazards that land-based workplaces rarely match. 

The accidents we see most often include:

• Falls from ladders, gangways, and elevated platforms
• Equipment failures involving cranes, winches, or anchor lines
• Fires and explosions on offshore platforms or vessels
• Collisions
• Crush injuries during cargo operations
• Toxic chemical and fuel exposure
• Drowning
• Overexertion injuries during heavy lifting or extended shifts

Injuries That Result

The injuries those accidents produce range from traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord damage to severe burns, amputations, crush injuries, broken bones, exposure-related illnesses, and psychological trauma. These aren’t cases that resolve with a single office visit or a clean return-to-work timeline. We build the complete picture of every client’s losses, including the long-term impact on earning capacity and quality of life, and pursue every avenue the law provides.

Why San Antonio Maritime Workers Choose LaHood Law

Marc LaHood doesn’t manage maritime injury cases from a distance. He prepares every case as if it’s going to trial, which means he isn’t looking for the fastest exit from a negotiation. He’s looking to pursue the compensation you may be entitled to seek. That approach has put us across the table from major insurance companies and corporations, and it’s the same approach your case gets from day one.

The LaHood family has served San Antonio since 1967. That’s decades of relationships with local courts and real knowledge of how cases move through them. It also means something less tangible: a reputation built case by case in this community, not imported from somewhere else. When Marc tells you what to expect, it’s grounded in that history, not a national script.

We treat every client like family, not a file number. You’ll hear from us, we’ll answer your questions, and we’ll give you honest assessments even when the news is hard. There are no fees unless we win your case, and your first consultation is free and confidential.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Do I Have to File a Maritime Injury Claim?

Under the Jones Act, injured seamen generally have three years from the date of injury to file a claim. Other maritime statutes may impose different deadlines. Don’t assume you have time to wait. Evidence can disappear quickly, and early action can help protect your options.

What Should I Do Immediately After a Maritime Accident?

Seek medical attention right away, even if injuries seem minor. Report the incident to your employer or the relevant onboard authority as soon as you’re able. If you can safely document the scene, photographs and witness contact information are valuable. Request copies of your medical records and the official accident report, then consult a maritime injury attorney promptly. Evidence on vessels and offshore platforms can disappear fast, and the steps taken in the first days after an accident can have a real effect on the strength of your claim.

What If My Employer Sends Me to a Company Doctor?

You aren’t required to use an employer-designated physician. Company doctors may focus on returning you to work quickly rather than fully documenting your injuries. An independent medical evaluation creates a record that reflects the true extent of your condition, which matters significantly when calculating what you may be owed.

How Do I Know If I Qualify as a Seaman Under the Jones Act?

Seaman status generally requires that you spend at least approximately 30% of your work time aboard a vessel in navigation, though courts treat this figure as a practical guideline rather than a rigid threshold. The determination depends on the specifics of your work arrangement and duties, and your employer may dispute the classification. We can review your situation and give you a clear picture of where you stand.

Can I Still Recover Compensation If I Was Partly at Fault?

Yes. Maritime law uses a comparative fault standard, which means your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault but isn’t automatically eliminated. Even if you contributed to the accident, you may still have substantial claims under the Jones Act or general maritime law.

Talk to a Maritime Accident Attorney in San Antonio

If you or someone you love was hurt in a maritime accident, you don’t have to figure this out alone. Marc LaHood brings honest guidance, trial-ready preparation, and a family legacy of fighting for San Antonio clients to every case we take. Your first consultation is free, confidential, and comes with no obligation.

Call (210) 714-2625 or reach out to our San Antonio maritime attorneys online to get started today.