If you were injured while working on the Outer Continental Shelf of the United States, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, or OCSLA, may entitle you to compensation for the damages caused by these injuries.
What Is the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA)?
The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, or OCSLA, was passed by Congress in 1953. Among other things, it extends the protections of the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) to employees who become injured or die as a result of operations conducted on the Outer Continental Shelf for the purpose of exploring for, developing, removing or transporting by pipeline the natural resources of the Outer Continental Shelf, unless the employee is a seaman or public employee. These protections include payment of disability benefits, rehabilitation costs and payment of medical expenses for workers injured on the Outer Continental Shelf, as well as death benefits for families of workers who have been killed.
Filing an OCSLA Claim
The protections provided under OCSLA are similar to those provided under the LHWCA. OCSLA benefits can cover medical expenses, disability benefits, rehabilitation/retraining costs, and death benefits.
The time to file an OCSLA claim depends on the location of the incident, thus it is important to speak to a lawyer as soon as possible if you are injured while working on the Outer Continental Shelf.
There are also special rules that apply to OCSLA claims depending on the facts and location of a specific incident and it can often be difficult to determine whether your claim actually falls under OCLSA’s protections. These rules can have a big impact on an OCSLA claim, like whether federal or state law governs the claim or whether the claim falls under OCSLA at all. Thus, it is important to consult with a lawyer if you are injured while working on the Outer Continental Shelf.
Speak To An Experienced OCSLA Attorney Today
If you’ve been injured while working on the Outer Continental Shelf, it’s important to take immediate steps to protect your rights. While the OCSLA is intended to be an extension of the LHWCA, there are many legal nuances under the OCSLA that make it difficult to determine whether your claim falls within the Act’s protections.. The law firm of Lewis, Kullman, Sterbcow & Abramson, LLC is here to help.
Lewis, Kullman, Sterbcow & Abramson, LLC is widely considered to be one of the nation’s top maritime and admiralty law litigation firms. Our team of maritime law attorneys has played a critical role in many of the important maritime cases in the last 40 years — including representing individuals and businesses affected by the Deepwater Horizon explosion and BP Oil Spill. If you’ve already spoken with an attorney who is not familiar with maritime law, chances are they’ve referred you to us.
We have successfully represented workers who have been injured in a wide range of OCS offshore accidents.
Contact the law offices of Lewis, Kullman, Sterbcow & Abramson, LLC through our website, or call us at (800) 960-1526 to schedule a free initial consultation with a highly experienced OCSLA attorney. Headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, LKSA possesses the expertise and resources to effectively serve clients injured in the Gulf of Mexico and all other Outer Continental Shelf regions.