MARITIME CLAIMS - SEAMEN AND LONGSHORMEN
Maritime cases handled by William C. Skye include injured merchant seamen and shipboard accidents, seamen’s claims for wages, and accidents and injuries to longshoremen, harbor workers, fishermen, recreational boaters and cruise ship passengers.
William C. Skye is a cum laude graduate of William Mitchell College of Law who has practiced law as a defense attorney for a prominent law firm representing various shipping companies and maritime P&I insurance clubs in the ports of Philadelphia and NJ, in addition to his experience as a plaintiff’s personal injury attorney.
William C. Skye also has extensive practical experience and he is therefore in a unique position to discuss, understand and evaluate a client’s maritime case. He is a graduate of SUNY Maritime College. He is a licensed Master Mariner of unlimited tonnage who has served in all deck officer capacities and as medical officer aboard numerous American flag ships in the U.S. Merchant Marine including tug & barges, tankers, freighters, roll-on roll-off and container ships.
He has served on voyages from tug & barge convoys to the Arctic to help build the Alaskan pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez – to the first ship to load American cargo bound for China when diplomatic relations were restored - to “around-the-world” service aboard general cargo vessels with passengers - to solving many difficult logistic issues that arose in the ports in India, Asia, South America, North Africa and the Mediterranean. He has represented cargo and ship owners as a marine consultant & surveyor to monitor cargo salvage and performed loss control and expediting services for clients utilizing VLCC and ULCC tanker vessels.
In addition to maritime experience, William C. Skye also has experience in aviation and trucking from successful customer service work with Eastern Airlines and Air Panama when the first computerized ticketing services at JFK International Airport in NYC were installed - to work as a co-pilot in Alaska for unscheduled bush flying services with South Central Air - to the operation of tractor trailer trucks and buses on American highways.
Under the Jones Act, an injured seaman can sue his employer for damages, including pain and suffering, past and future wage losses, and medical expenses based upon negligence or a claim that the vessel he was working on was not seaworthy when he was injured. Under general maritime law, a vessel can be unseaworthy and liable for injuries even if the shipping company was not negligent. We also represent workers injured on offshore oil rigs, other similar structures and seamen working aboard any type of vessel on navigable waters.
The Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act generally pertains to longshoremen, shipyard workers and workers on fixed platforms. Longshore Act claims are similar to workers' compensation claims, because employers must pay wage losses and medical expenses. Like traditional workers' compensation claims, an injured longshoreman who receives benefits under the Longshore Act may also file a negligence claim and collect damages from any third parties responsible for his injuries, if he can prove that a third party, such as a ship owner or operator or equipment manufacturer, was negligent.
Fishermen, recreational boaters and cruise passengers may also bring claims for accidents and injuries under maritime law.
When you need a strong maritime advocate to represent your interests, contact William C. Skye for a consultation at no cost to you at (856) 451-7707.
As always, William C. Skye’s Clients Pay No Fees and No Costs Unless a Recovery is Made.
*Please remember that every case is different, and will need to be evaluated and handled on its own merits. The information on this website is informational and is not intended to create an expectation about the results our lawyers can achieve on any particular case.