Injured working for SeaRiver Maritime?
If you were hurt on a SeaRiver Maritime tanker, you are a Jones Act seaman with the full protection of maritime law — and we have taken SeaRiver to trial and won. The firm tried Pike v. SeaRiver Maritime to a $2.56 million Jones Act verdict; on appeal the liability findings were affirmed and only the future-medical award was reduced by remittitur.
A grease spill on a storm-tossed deck that had lost its protective mats
What are my rights if I was hurt working for SeaRiver Maritime?
If you crew a SeaRiver Maritime tanker, you are almost certainly a Jones Act seaman, which means far more than workers' compensation. You can recover from SeaRiver Maritime for negligence under the Jones Act, bring an unseaworthiness claim against the vessel, and receive maintenance and cure. What you can recover depends on your job and what failed.
Key takeaways
- Tanker crews are typically Jones Act seamen.
- A seaman can sue SeaRiver Maritime for negligence under the Jones Act, far more than workers' comp allows.
- Maintenance and cure is owed regardless of fault while you recover.
- Unseaworthiness is a separate claim against the vessel owner for unfit equipment or crew.
- Do not give a recorded statement or sign anything before talking to a lawyer.
A storm, a grease spill, and a deck that had lost its mats.
The firm represented a SeaRiver seaman who fell in the galley while the vessel was weathering a gale-force storm — a grease spill on a rolling deck that had lost its protective rubber mats. The jury found SeaRiver liable under the Jones Act and general maritime law and returned a $2.56 million verdict.
On appeal, the Thirteenth Court of Appeals left the liability findings untouched and reduced only the future-medical award by remittitur. The result — and the appellate history — are a matter of public record. See the firm’s full case study and more maritime case work.
Hurt on a tanker or in blue-water service?
Deep-sea tanker crews — able seamen, QMEDs, engineers, mates, and stewards — are Jones Act seamen, owed a seaworthy vessel and a safe place to work. If you were told you are only a workers’ comp case, that is often wrong. See the Jones Act and unseaworthiness for how these cases work.
Tanker and blue-water crews.
We represent injured SeaRiver crew members whatever their role aboard the vessel:
Deck & engine crew
Able seamen, QMEDs, engineers, and mates hurt by equipment, falls, or unsafe conditions.
Stewards & galley crew
Slips and falls on rolling decks, in galleys, and in quarters — as in Pike.
Unseaworthy conditions
Missing non-skid or mats, spills, and gear not reasonably fit for the work.
Families in a wrongful-death case
When a tanker incident is fatal, the family may have Jones Act and general-maritime claims.
What an injured seaman can recover.
As a seaman you are not limited to a workers’ comp check. You have a Jones Act negligence claim against your employer, an unseaworthiness claim against the vessel for gear or a crew not reasonably fit for the work, and maintenance and cure from the day you are hurt, regardless of fault. The Jones Act’s pure comparative negligence means your own fault never bars recovery.
If you were just hurt, start with what to do in the first 72 hours; if you have been told you are only a workers’ comp case, read Jones Act vs. workers’ comp.
Frequently asked questions about SeaRiver Maritime injury claims
Am I a Jones Act seaman if I work for SeaRiver Maritime?
Usually, yes. SeaRiver Maritime operates oceangoing tankers, and their crews typically qualify as Jones Act seamen with a substantial connection to a vessel in navigation.
Can I sue SeaRiver Maritime for a workplace injury?
If SeaRiver Maritime was your employer and you are a Jones Act seaman, yes. The Jones Act lets a seaman sue the employer for negligence that played any part in causing the injury, on top of receiving maintenance and cure.
What is the difference between the Jones Act and workers' compensation?
A large one. Workers' compensation is a limited no-fault benefit. The Jones Act instead lets a seaman sue the employer for negligence and recover full damages, and general maritime law adds maintenance and cure and an unseaworthiness claim. A seaman's recovery is usually far greater than comp.
What is maintenance and cure?
Maintenance and cure is a no-fault maritime benefit owed to an injured seaman: maintenance covers daily living expenses and cure covers medical care, until you reach maximum medical improvement, regardless of who was at fault.
What can I recover after an injury working for SeaRiver Maritime?
Recovery is measured by category rather than a fixed amount: past and future medical care, lost wages and lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, and maintenance and cure while you recover. The total depends on the facts, so no honest lawyer can promise a number up front.
What if I already gave a statement or signed something?
It is not necessarily fatal, but tell a lawyer right away. Recorded statements and early paperwork from an employer or its insurer can be used against you, and the sooner you get advice, the better you can protect your claim.
What should you do after an injury working for SeaRiver Maritime?
Get medical care and make sure the injury is reported in writing. Preserve evidence early, including incident reports, photos, equipment, and witness names, and do not give a recorded statement or sign anything before talking to a lawyer.
Talk to a firm that has tried — and won — against SeaRiver.
Doyle Dennis Avery LLP tried Pike v. SeaRiver Maritime to a $2.56 million Jones Act verdict, with liability affirmed on appeal. If you were hurt on a SeaRiver tanker, a case review costs nothing and there is no obligation.
This page is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. The firm represented the plaintiff in Pike v. SeaRiver Maritime, Inc., a $2.56 million Jones Act verdict in which the liability findings were affirmed on appeal and the future-medical award was reduced by remittitur (net $2,141,716.75); the result and its appellate history are a matter of public record. The SeaRiver Maritime name is used only to identify the company. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome; every case is different and depends on its own facts. Whether the Jones Act, maintenance and cure, or any particular claim is available in your situation depends on your specific circumstances. For advice about your case, speak with a qualified maritime attorney.
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