Recovery Options for Injured Commercial Fishermen

This video features Mark Choate, a Criminal Law attorney based in Alaska.

Alaska Injury Lawyer Mark Choate

Video Transcript: 

Rob Rosenthal:

What are the options for commercial fishermen in Alaska if they're hurt on the job? That's what we ask Alaska attorney Mark Choate for this Ask the Lawyers Quick Question.

Mark Choate: 

Generally speaking, every vessel which employees seamen has a duty to do what's called maintenance and cure if they're injured. And it's, generally speaking, pretty straightforward, but it means you're gonna get your medical bills paid and you're gonna have some money to live on, though it's not very much. In addition, vessels have lots of obligations to seamen because it is a dangerous profession, and the vessels can be sued under what's called the Doctrine of Unseaworthiness, they could also be sued under what's called the Jones Act for basic negligence. Most of those laws are very protective of seamen, so the courts have long recognized that the work is so dangerous that the standard of care is really high for the vessel, and you know, often the slightest negligence is enough for the seamen to be able to get compensation.

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