Sea-going vessels require routine maintenance and inspections to ensure that they remain seaworthy. Constant exposure to saltwater and inclement weather on the open ocean can damage even the sturdiest of materials and compromise key systems that affect the safety of everyone onboard.
When an unseaworthy vessel leaves port, the people aboard are at risk of injuries or worse, possibly triggered by the vessel capsizing, sinking or experiencing system failures. When injuries occur on the open ocean, the people affected may have questions about their rights.
Who is typically responsible for the costs generated by unseaworthy vessels that “play host” to injurious incidents on the open ocean?
Owners are liable for a vessel’s condition
Vessel owners have direct legal and financial liability for the condition of their ships. They cannot delegate that responsibility to an outside party. They must ensure that the vessels they own undergo regular maintenance and repairs.
Vessel owners may need to hire specialized professionals to inspect and maintain the boats that they own. Even if they hire a company or a specific professional to oversee an individual vessel or a fleet, they may still be directly financially liable if the people working on the vessel, passengers who charter a trip or anyone else ends up hurt because of the vessel’s unseaworthy condition.
Maritime liability claims generally require litigation. Injured parties need documentation of their losses and evidence of the vessel’s unseaworthy condition to hold the owner accountable for the harm caused by their unsafe ships.
Working with an experienced maritime injury attorney can make it easier for injured people to pursue justice when unseaworthy vessels leave them injured.