The Public Vessels Act And Seaman Rights

The Public Vessels Act And Seaman Rights

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California Maritime Lawyer Preston Easley Assists Both U.S. and Non-U.S. Citizens Serving Aboard U.S. Owned Vessels In Filing Claims For Their Injuries In Or Outside U.S. Waters Under The Public Vessels Act

The Public Vessels Act allows a way for seamen serving aboard U.S.-owned (but not necessarily U.S.-operated)  vessels to recover damages for their injuries. This act applies to civilian personnel serving on Coast Guard ships and surveying vessels, but not to sailors in the U.S. Navy, who generally don’t have any recourse for suing the military.

Jones Act Seaman Rights – Injured seamen and aggrieved property owners can also file suit under another obscure statute of maritime law, the Suits in Admiralty Act.

Maritime Accident Lawyer Preston Easley is a Graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. You Can Rely on His Expertise in Maritime Law to Protect Your Rights. Contact Him Today For a Free Consultation About Your Case.

The provisions of the Public Vessels Act allows both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens serving aboard U.S.-owned vessels to file claims for their injuries, regardless of whether the accident occurred within U.S. waters. It’s also not necessary for the vessel in question to be directly operated by the government; the fact is that many government-owned ships are leased out to third-party contractors, yet are still covered under the Public Vessels Act.The Public Vessels Act also rubs up against another provision of maritime law, the Jones Act, the means by which a wide variety of marine workers can recoup damages for their injuries (whether or not the accident in question was caused by recklessness or negligence.)   Needless to say, only an experienced maritime lawyer can tell you whether your claim for damages is best pursued under the Jones Act, the Suits in Admiralty Act or the Public Vessels Act.

Experienced Trial Lawyer for Seamen

Preston Easley is an experienced personal injury and maritime injury lawyer with considerable expertise in handling federal and state cases.  He will aggressively seek the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to receive.  For a free initial consultation, call or email our law firm today.

Cases We Handle

maritime-worker

Longshoremen & Shipyard Workers

Longshoring and shipyard work are very dangerous occupations. Workers in these fields, along with marine construction workers, are covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, a very generous no-fault workers’ compensation system. It covers medical expenses, temporary disability, permanent disability and vocational rehabilitation.

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Jones Act Seamen

Jones Act Seamen

A seaman is a member of the crew of a vessel or group of vessels under common ownership or control. The vessel can be anything from a raft to a cargo ship. We represent seamen who work aboard recreational vessels, tugboats, dredges, barges, skiffs, workboats and cargo ships. We also represent seamen who are marine construction workers

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Diving

Diving

We represent people who have been injured in SCUBA diving accidents and Commercial diving accidents. We also handle diving boat accidents. Diving can be very dangerous. We successfully represented a commercial diver who was seriously injured while cleaning the propeller of a U.S. Navy ship at Pearl Harbor

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Construction & Industrial Accidents

Construction & Industrial Accidents

Construction and industrial sites can be very dangerous. Although you generally cannot sue your own employer for a construction site or industrial accident (generally workers’ compensation is your exclusive remedy against your employer) there are many circumstances in which you can file a third party lawsuit against an entity other than your employer for an unsafe condition at a work site which causes you to be injured

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Crane & Forklift Accidents

Crane & Forklift Accidents

The Easley firm has extensive experience with crane and forklift accidents and workplace accidents involving dangerous equipment and machinery. These accidents can be caused by operator error and they can be caused by the unsafe and defective condition of the equipment

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Motor Vehicle & Truck Accidents

Motor Vehicle & Truck Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents can result in serious injury and death. These kinds of accidents can involve automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians and unsafe road design and unsafe road conditions

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Passenger Vessel Accidents

Passenger Vessel Accidents

Passenger accidents are common on recreational vessels, catamarans, tour boats and cruise ships.  They are frequently caused by rough sea conditions and unsafe conditions aboard the vessels.  The Easley firm has extensive experience in the field of maritime law.  We have made new law in the field of maritime law with numerous precedent setting decisions in the State Appellate Courts, the Ninth Circuit Federal Court

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Defense Base Act

The Defense Base Act is an extension of the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act which covers civilian employees of U.S. defense contractors injured overseas, including war zones. The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensations Act as extended by the Defense Base Act is a very generous no fault workers’ compensation system

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Areas Where We Practice

Preston Easley is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He served five years of active duty as a Naval officer — three years as a deck officer on a fast frigate and two years as a patrol boat skipper. Mr. Easley also served aboard a tank landing ship in the reserves.

California
  • LOS ANGELES
  • LONG BEACH
  • SAN PEDRO
  • WILMINGTON
  • SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
  • SAN DIEGO
  • CHULA VISTA
  • NATIONAL CITY
  • IMPERIAL BEACH
  • RIVERSIDE COUNTY
  • VENTURA
  • OXNARD
  • SANTA BARBARA
  • PORT HUENEME
  • ORANGE COUNTY
  • OAKLAND
  • SAN FRANCISCO
  • STOCKTON
  • SACRAMENTO
  • NEWPORT BEACH
  • MORRO BAY
  • CARPINTERIA
  • RICHMOND
  • SAN RAFAEL
  • SAN LUIS OBISPO
  • MONTEREY
  • VALLEJO
  • MARE ISLAND
  • LAKE HAVASU
  • DANA POINT
  •  
Hawaii
  • HONOLULU
  • BARBERS POINT
  • NAWILIWILI
  • PEARL HARBOR
  • MAUI
  • HILO
  • KONA
  • LAHAINA
  • SAND ISLAND
  • KAUAI
  • KAHULUI
  • KAWAIHAE
  • KIKIAOLA
  • KAILUA
  • OAHU
  • LIHUE
  • PORT ALLEN
  • NA PALI COAST
  • KANEOHE
  • BIG ISLAND

Let Us Get You The Compensation You Deserve

Preston Easley is an experienced lawyer with considerable expertise in handling federal and state personal injury cases. He will aggressively seek the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to receive. Attorney Easley represents victims of serious and fatal accidents involving cars, trucks, construction projects and maritime work.

Construction Workers We Help
  • Crane and Forklift Operators
  • Pile Drivers
  • Scaffold Workers
  • Iron Workers
  • Carpenters
  • Electricians
  • Operating Engineers
  • Electricians
Maritime Workers We Help
  • National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) Shipyard Workers
  • Manson Construction Company Workers
  • Manson Dredging Workers
  • Dutra Dredging Workers
  • Commercial Divers
  • Scuba Divers
  • Commercial Fisherman
  • Government Maritime Claims Against the Navy, Army Corps of Engineers, or the US Coast Guard, etc.
  • Marine Construction Workers
  • Offshore Oil and Gas Workers
  • Seamen
  • Shipyard Workers
  • YYK Enterprises, Inc.
  • Pacific Tugboat Service
  • Long Beach Container Terminal
  • Tugboat, Dredge, Longshoremen, and Ferry Workers
  • Barge Crews and Barge Workers
  • Marisco Limited
  • HL Welding
  • SSA Marine
  • Catalina Express
  • R.E. State Engineering
  • Shimmick Construction
  • Nova Group
  • American Scaffolding
  • Safway Scaffolding
  • Kirby Tugs
  • Crowley Tugboats
  • P&R Water Taxi
  • Continental Maritime
  • Pacific Ship Repair
  • Seaward Marine
  • Healy Tibbitts
  • General Construction
  • BAE Shipyards
  • South Coast Welding
  • Matson
  • Pasha
  • Hawaii Stevedores, Inc.
  • McCabe, Hamilton & Renny
  • Young Brothers
  • Sause Bros.
  • Foss Maritime
  • Fenix Marine Services
  • ITS
  • Total Terminals
  • TraPac
  • PCMC
  • Maersk
  • Yang Ming
  • China Overseas Shipping
  • Evergreen
Boating Accidents
  • Catamaran Accidents
  • Charter and Tour Boats
  • Cruise Ship Accidents
  • Passenger Accidents
  • Jet Ski and Personal Watercraft
  • Motorboat Accidents
  • Recreational Accidents
  • Scuba Diving Accidents
  • Speed Boat Accidents
  • Yachts and Sail Boat Accidents
  • Repair Accidents
  • Crew Accidents