Understanding the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act
The federal Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA) protects workers who are disabled after being injured while on the job doing any work on the "navigable waters" of the United States. "Navigable waters" include oceans, lakes, and rivers such as the Missouri River and the Mississippi River, both of which are used to transport cargo and passengers. Like state workers’ compensation benefits available for other workers who are injured on the job in Missouri, the LHWCA provides benefits for lost wages, medical bills, and other losses that come with a disability arising from a workplace injury.
The LHWCA covers both disability and death caused by an injury suffered while on the water or while working in certain closely-related places, such as docks and harbors. The benefits available under the LHWCA are designed to work alongside the benefits available under the federal Jones Act, which covers seamen working on U.S. waters. Benefits an injured worker or the worker’s family receives under one law may be offset by benefits they received under the other.
Since both the LHWCA and the Jones Act may come into play when a sailor, dock worker, or other person who is employed on Missouri and U.S. waterways becomes injured, it’s important to understand your rights under both laws and where to turn when an injury occurs. At Page Law, an experienced personal injury lawyer can help you navigate the complex rules of compensation after an injury so that you receive the benefits you need. For a free consultation, call Page Law today at 314-322-8515. The call is free, and your information is always kept confidential.
