If you are a seaman from Huntsville, Alabama who was injured on the vessel, do not say “it was my fault.” Taking the blame can harm your ability to receive fair compensation for your injury. This happened to a fishing vessel crewmember who hurt his ankle when his leg was caught in the coil of a line as he attempted to make the vessel fast to a piling in the locks. He filed a Jones Act claim blaming his injury on the captain’s negligence and vessel unseaworthiness due to the alleged unsafe condition of the rope. In ruling against him, the jury was swayed by the captain’s testimony that the plaintiff told him right after the accident that it was caused by his own “dumb, stupid mistake.” His own words gave added weight to the defense witnesses who testified that the rope was in good working condition and that the captain safely maneuvered the vessel into the lock. Read about the case here. Some people are fair to a fault and their first instinct is to automatically take responsibility for an accident they were involved in. Later on they may discover there was an unknown, unsafe condition and by then their incorrect self-blame will be used against them. Any initial statements after the accident should deal with making sure you and any other injured persons receive medical attention.
If you're from Hunstville, seek the counsel of a maritime attorney if possible before answering any questions about the cause of the accident to make sure your own words are not used against you later.
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Category: Company Tricks Exposed
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