Tankerman Injury Attorneys

Over $1 Billion Recovered for Maritime Accident Victims. We are proud to have a reputation for aggressively fighting for the rights of injured workers.

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What Is A Tankerman?

When a tankerman becomes injured and unable to work after an accident that was caused by the negligence of a vessel’s owner, Captain or crew, maritime laws give them the right to seek compensation for their losses. The tankerman injury attorneys at Lambert Zainey can help.

A tankerman oversees the transfer of liquid cargo aboard oceangoing tankships or inland river barges. This cargo can consist of dangerous liquids or liquefied gases, such as gasoline, crude oil or liquid natural gas.

A careless coworker, a broken valve, a defective safety device or even a lack of training may be all it takes to trigger a disaster.

If you are a tankerman who has been injured due to a preventable accident, we urge you to reach out to Lambert Zainey without delay. Statutes of limitation apply for maritime and offshore injury lawsuits, and the sooner we get to work on your case, the better your chances of success.

Captain Injury Attorneys
Companies We’ve Fought Against

Lambert Zainey has obtained recoveries from a long list of maritime companies, including some of the biggest names in the industry.

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Compensation For Injured Tankerman

For over 40 years, Lambert Zainey has been representing injured tankerman and other maritime workers who have been hurt in onboard accidents that resulted from the unseaworthiness of a vessel and other negligence. Our maritime injury attorneys understand the ins and outs of the maritime industry and the many federal and state laws that protect maritime workers.

We fight aggressively to ensure our clients get the total compensation they are owed for the damages resulting from their accident. Damages you may be entitled to include:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Loss of earning capacity

Contact Lambert Zainey to schedule a free consultation meeting with one of our outstanding maritime injury attorneys.

Lift Boat Seacor Power Capsize

SEACOR POWER CAPSIZING: LAMBERT ZAINEY SECURES RESOLUTION FOR ALL FAMILIES AFFECTED BY TRAGEDY

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case results

Over $1 Billion Recovered for Maritime Accident Victims

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Murphy Oil Spill
$330 MILLION SETTLEMENT

Oil storage tank rupture at the Murphy Oil USA refinery in Chalmette, LA. The fastest class certification and resolution of a case of its type and magnitude to date.

ARCO Explosion
SETTLED IN ONLY 12 MONTHS

Arco cryogenic platform explosion caused by improper cold cut of Southern Natural Gas pipeline. Settlement for the injured and deceased in approximately twelve months.

What Laws Apply In Tankerman Injury Cases?

The difference between maritime laws and remedies is important and can be complex. Lambert Zainey has been protecting the rights of injured deckhands and other maritime workers since the 1970s and can help you determine which laws apply to your case.

The Jones Act has been protecting seamen rights since it was enacted in the 1920s. This federal law expands the rights of injured seamen under General Maritime Law, giving them additional rights and causes of action for seeking damages after a work injury.

Learn More About Who Qualifies Under the Jones Act

While most tankermen are considered seaman and protected by the Jones Act, the LHWCA covers workers who don’t qualify as seamen. It protects those injured while working in support of the maritime industry on any navigable waterway.

Learn More About Your Rights as a Longshoremen

Tankermen and other crew members who are injured at work have a legal right to seek compensation when the accident was caused by the unseaworthiness of a vessel. This right comes from general maritime law, which also gives them the right to maintenance and cure payments.

Learn More About General Maritime Law

Maintenance and cure benefits are payments for medical bills and daily living expenses. These benefits are a right given by general maritime law to maritime workers who have been injured at work.

These benefits are to be paid until the worker reaches maximum medical improvement or returns to work.

Learn More About Maintenance and Cure

Deckhand Accident Lawyers

Case Result From Lambert Zainey’s Tankerman Injury Attorneys

Lambert Zainey recently secured a favorable settlement for a tankerman who was ordered to prepare for product transfer on a fuel barge despite icy, dangerous conditions and fell from the rungs of a push knee where ice had formed on the rungs of the attached ladder.

As soon as the tankerman contacted Lambert Zainey, we began investigating the accident. We were able to show that the captain was negligent in ordering the tankerman to work in unsafe conditions and that the vessel was unseaworthy for its failure to maintain the necessary equipment and tools to perform work in icy weather.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tankerman Accident Claims

The Jones Act only grants legal rights to injured maritime workers who meet the legal definition of a seaman. A few determining factors in qualification include:

  • Does the tankerman work on a vessel that is in navigation?
  • Do the tankerman’s job duties contribute to the function or mission of the vessel?
  • Does the tankerman have a substantial connection to a single vessel (spending at least 30 percent of employment on it)?

Read more about who qualifies as a Jones Act seaman

Because the specifics of each case are so different, it’s difficult to give an accurate estimate for how long a case might go on. Most cases will take at least a few months but can take a year or even longer.

We know you need this money to cover the financial cost of your accident so you can take care of your family, so how much a case is worth is a very reasonable question. The truth is, we can’t give a quick or easy response.

The facts of every case are unique. The legal issues involved will be different depending on those details. These are determining factors in the potential value of your case.

While we can’t tell you now what your case is worth, we can point you to some of our verdicts and settlements. We also strongly encourage you to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced maritime lawyers to discuss the facts of your case.

Some workers who have been injured in maritime accidents decide not to file a lawsuit because of a fear of reprisal by their employers and getting put on the dreaded “blacklist.”

We can’t say for certain whether there is an actual “blacklist” floating around among maritime employers. What we do know is that this should NOT be a deciding factor in pursuing a claim. We know the laws that protect tankermen and other maritime workers from being retaliated against, and we can help you utilize those laws to protect your future in the maritime and offshore industry.

Read more about the rumored “blacklist”

Learn More About Inland, Port, and Waterway Worker Injuries

If a tankerman qualifies for maintenance and cure benefits, the employer is required to pay these benefits until the tankerman reaches Maximum Medical Improvement. If the maritime company you work for is “arbitrary and capricious” or “willful or callous” in delaying, denying or terminating these benefits, the law allows the tankerman to take legal action, including punitive damages and attorney’s fees.

Read more about your rights if an employer ends maintenance and cure too soon

If you’re a tankerman who was injured on the job, we know you are worried about finances already. Paying a lot of money out of pocket for an attorney isn’t something you can afford.

At Lambert Zainey, we handle tankerman accident cases on a contingency basis. That means there are no up-front charges for our services, and we don’t get paid until we recover compensation for you.

Contact the experienced maritime attorneys our law firm today to schedule a free consultation. We’ve represented all types of maritime workers injured while in port; on inland waterways, intercoastal waterways, or the open seas.

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