Longshore Claims

Experienced, aggressive and trial savvy, our West Palm Beach maritime attorneys are not afraid to take on large insurance companies or maritime employers as we fight for your rights.  

Tim Nies of Van Riper Nies represents Longshoremen throughout Florida and the U.S.,and their families, who have suffered an injury or lost loved ones due to the fault of others.  Our firm motto is that we leave no stone unturned in the prosecution of Longshore injury claims.    

Tim is experienced in the prosecution of claims under the  Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA). This Federal law provides for payment of compensation for disability or death of an employee resulting from an injury occurring upon the navigable waters of the U.S., including any adjoining dock, pier, wharf, building way, marine railway, or other adjoining area customarily used by an employer in loading, unloading, repairing, or building a vessel. Under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA), workers injured while working with cargo are engaged in maritime employment so as to be covered by the Act if they were engaged in intermediate steps of moving cargo between ship and land transportation. 

Employees injured while working in capacities directly supporting the loading and unloading of ships are within the maritime employment requirements of the Act, at least where there was some direct involvement with maritime activities.

The Act is not intended to cover purely clerical workers or other workers employed in or adjacent to marine terminals whose duties do not constitute an integral part of the loading or unloading process or fall within some other traditionally maritime area.  The Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act specifically mentions shipbuilding, ship repair, and shipbreaking as maritime employment so that the question becomes one of determining whether particular work comes within the meaning of these terms. 

If you, or a loved one, was injured while at work, call us for a free consultation. Tim does not require any money from you, but will be paid our attorneys' fees by the Employer's insurance company. 

For more information about our Longshore practice, please call us at 561-948-5588 or email Tim at  tim@vanriperandnies.com. Tim also a well-known Defense Base Act lawyer who litigates and settles Defense Base Act claims, which falls under the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act.