Plate Freezer Accidents Aboard Alaska Fishing Vessels
Crewmen aboard factory trawlers, fish processors, and longliners are frequently hurt while working with the vessel’s plate freezers. If not properly maintained and operated, the plate freezers can quickly cause serious, permanent injuries. Crewmen working on multiple levels of the plate freezer at the same time can also sustain injury. The most frequently seen plate freezer accident involves a pan filled with frozen product being unexpectedly ejected from the plate freezer with a vessel roll. The pan then flies through the air and becomes a 30-pound missile striking a crewman in the body. Proper procedures must be followed to make sure that the plate freezers are guarded to prevent pans from flying off the shelves. A second type of accident involves the constant twisting and turning motions of loading and unloading the plate freezers. If the process line is not properly designed, and the crewman is not properly trained, this lifting, twisting, and turning can lead to permanent back injuries.
Crewmen working aboard fishing vessels in Alaska are protected by Federal Maritime Law. Your employer owes you a duty to provide you a safe place to work and a seaworthy vessel. If you have been injured as a result of negligence or unseaworthiness, you may be entitled to compensatory damages for lost wages, future lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, disability, and medical expenses. In almost all cases, an injured fisherman is entitled to maintenance and cure. You have the right to choose your own doctor, and to receive a monthly living allowance until you have reached maximum medical cure.
The maritime lawyers at Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC have been representing injured fishermen for over 20 years. They are one of the leading maritime personal injury firms in the Nation, and their clients come from all across the United States. They have recovered million of dollars in compensation for their clients. Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC is dedicated to protecting workers rights, and getting them full and complete compensation under the law. The Jones Act is a law passed to protect injured seamen. If you have been injured through negligence, it is the law that you are entitled to fair compensation for your injuries.
Most accidents at sea are preventable. If your employer or their insurance company is telling you the accident was your fault, it is time to contact a maritime lawyer to protect your rights.
The lawyers at Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC are highly experienced. They have taken on the tough cases and gotten their clients fair results. They have represented families in wrongful death cases involving the sinkings of the Alaska Ranger, Katmai, Aleutian Enterprise, Galaxy, Arctic Rose, and many others. They understand fishermen, and know how your injuries will impact you the rest of your life.
If you have been seriously injured aboard a fishing vessel, the lawyers at Stacey & Jacobsen, PLLC may be able to help you. They understand safety aboard ship, and they know how injury accidents can be prevented.