On Jan. 9, Leo Vitale was unloading fish from the Angela Rose at BASE Gloucester seafood exchange when he fell approximately nine feet onto the boat. When the accident occurred, it was half tide, so the boat was several feet lower than the dock. Vitale’s accident could have been even worse if the tide had been at its lowest when he fell. An ambulance took him to Beverly Hospital for treatment.

According to a witness, Vitale tripped over a moving rope when he was near the edge of the dock. In the maritime industry, ropes serve many functions, such as securing a boat to a dock. To prevent trip and fall accidents, extra dock line should be properly coiled.

Maritime workers count on their employers to maintain a safe working environment that minimizes the risk of accidents, including trip and falls. Unfortunately, not all employers follow safety guidelines or properly train their employees to observe safe practices. When a maritime worker is injured on the job, he or she may incur costly medical bills and may not be able to perform the work he or she did prior to the accident, which can limit the worker’s future earnings. When a worker is killed on the job, his or her family not only has to deal with the emotional impact of the loss, but also the financial consequences as well.

Maritime laws like the Jones Act, general maritime law and the Longshore Act protect fisherman, lumpers and dock workers when they sustain injuries on the job. Think you may have a claim under the Jones Act, general maritime law or the Longshore Act? An experienced Boston maritime attorney can evaluate your case and explain your legal rights.

Latti & Anderson LLP – Boston maritime trial lawyers