Shipyard Injury Lawyer

The maritime industry can be extremely dangerous, and shipyard workers are often at risk of serious injuries when accidents happen. Those who have worked in shipbuilding for a long time may also be at risk of industrial diseases through exposure to hazardous materials, including asbestos dust.

The industrial disease team at JMW is here to help you make a successful claim for compensation if you work or have worked in the shipbuilding industry and believe conditions there have resulted in you suffering injury. We have a deep understanding of this area of law and can provide the expert guidance you need to ensure you are able to secure the compensation to which you are entitled. Claims for industrial disease can be complicated if exposure happened a long time ago, but our experts can advise you of your options and make sure you retain your right to claim.

Contact our team today about your shipbuilding accident claim. Call us for free on 0345 872 6666 or complete our online enquiry form and we will give you a call back so that you can get your claim underway.

How JMW Can Help

At JMW, we have assisted many people who have been injured or suffered an industrial disease due to their work in the shipbuilding industry. We pride ourselves on our professional and proactive approach as we work to secure you the maximum compensation to account for the full impact of your injury.

We know that injured workers often need accommodations, especially those who have been exposed to asbestos, and we can offer remote appointments or visit you in person where necessary. This allows you to focus on your recovery or adjusting to your new circumstances while we take on the legal responsibility for your claim.

Our team is committed to helping you throughout the duration of your case and we will keep you regularly updated on any developments as we go. JMW's highly skilled shipyard accident lawyers are dedicated, experienced and with you every step of the way. We have a national reputation for successfully claiming compensation on behalf of injured workers, and will work to protect and uphold your legal rights at every stage of the process.

More and more people from this industry are coming forward to claim compensation from employers and former employers. We encourage anyone who believes they were exposed to asbestos due to working in the shipbuilding industry to speak to a professional, qualified solicitor at JMW Solicitors about their options and how to get a claim underway.

Meet Our Team of Shipbuilding Industry Compensation Experts

JMW's shipyard accident experts have a wealth of experience in representing injured workers, and a thorough understanding of health and safety regulations as they apply to the shipbuilding industry. Our longstanding expertise and track record of success means we're in a strong position to claim the compensation you are owed.

What Are the Most Common Shipyard Accidents?

Shipbuilders and dock workers are at risk from a range of common shipyard accidents. While some of these potential hazards apply in all types of workplaces, the heavy machinery, wet conditions and confined spaces in shipyards and aboard seagoing vessels can lead to much more serious injuries. The most common shipyard accidents include:

Slips, trips and falls

Slips, trips and falls on the same level are the most common type of accident across UK workplaces, and there are a number of specific risks for shipyard workers: cluttered walkways, wet or oily surfaces, changes in level, ladders, and unstable scaffolds or gangways can all lead to accidents.

Working decks, below-deck spaces, and engine spaces are high-hazard zones where slips and falls are common. A bigger risk in shipyards specifically is workers accidentally falling from height, as many shipyard tasks take place on elevated surfaces, including hull work, scaffolds, ladders, over-the-water platforms and cranes.

Falls on the same level can lead to injuries ranging from sprains, strains and fractures to head injuries, if workers are not wearing the necessary hard hats. Falls from height - whether scaffolding, ladders or open hatchways - may lead to major trauma or even death in the most serious cases.

Manual handling, lifting and carrying

A lot of work involves lifting heavy sections, steel plates, pipes and equipment. Manual handling remains a common cause of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, especially when working in confined spaces or with awkward posture and repetitive movements. If workers do not receive training on safe lifting and carrying procedures and are not given regular breaks when performing repetitive tasks, they may be entitled to compensation for their injuries.

Poor technique when lifting, carrying or performing other physical tasks can lead to back injuries, strains and sprains in shoulders and arms. Over time, these conditions can develop into chronic musculoskeletal problems through repetitive heavy work, which can affect your ability to continue in your role or to work in the future. A personal injury claim will account for any lost earnings if your capacity to work is affected by an injury of this type.

Moving or falling objects

Because shipyards use cranes, hoists, scaffolding and lifting gear, there is sometimes a risk of dropped loads, collisions with moving vehicles, and shipyard workers being struck by tools falling from height. These accidents range in severity but can be extremely serious, and lead to injuries including fractures, head injuries and, in the most serious cases, crush injuries or amputations. These are among the most common types of fatal accidents in UK workplaces.

Fires, explosions and toxic gas exposure

The nature of shipbuilding and ship repair involves hot work like welding and cutting, sometimes in enclosed spaces or in high-temperature engine rooms. Work may also involve potential hazards like heavy power tools, chemical coatings, and legacy asbestos in or on working surfaces. The presence of hazardous materials and chemicals can result in exposure to toxic gases if they are not stored and handled in accordance with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health regulations.

Serious injuries, including third-degree burns, may result from chemical exposure or from hot work, and there is also a risk of smoke inhalation or explosion-related trauma in serious cases. Malfunctioning equipment can also increase the risk of fire and electric shock injuries.

Shipyard workers who have been injured in any of the above ways may be entitled to compensation. Often, these common shipyard accidents occur because correct health and safety procedures are not followed, and this usually means an employer is liable.

What Common Diseases Are Caused by the Shipbuilding Industry?

If you have been diagnosed with a disease that was caused by your place of work, you are entitled to claim compensation. Employers have a duty of care towards employees to ensure their safety whilst at work. However, there are some industries that are more likely to cause disease in employees, one of which is shipbuilding.

Shipbuilding is notorious for being relatively risky work, with employees often working at heights and in small, confined spaces. Workers can also be exposed to hazardous substances during their working life, such as asbestos, which may lead to issues many years after exposure; employees may even have left the job by the time their disease has been diagnosed.

Asbestos-Related Conditions

The most common industrial diseases associated with shipbuilding are due to asbestos exposure. The substance was commonly used in the 1950s and 1960s when firms were unaware of the dangers it posed. Shipbuilding and repair is just one of the industries to have seen a prolific number of asbestos-related diseases affect its employees. Asbestos fibres can settle in the lungs or other parts of the body, leading to chronic illness. Symptoms tend not to reveal themselves for decades after exposure.

Asbestos was banned completely in the UK in 1999; however, those who worked with or near asbestos may not know they have contracted one of the issues associated with asbestos exposure, such as mesothelioma, pleural thickening, lung cancer and asbestosis, for years to come. If you or one of your loved ones are in this position, you are eligible to make a claim for compensation.

Asbestos Compensation Claims for Vickers Shipyards Workers

The Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd (VSEL) yard in Barrow-in-Furness and the Vickers Armstrongs Ltd yard in Newcastle upon Tyne are both well known for having used asbestos as an insulator for boilers and pipework, as well as between compartments within ship deckheads and bulkheads. It was also present in ships that were being built, refitted, repaired or decommissioned in these shipyards.

As a result of this heavy usage, thousands of workers in both Cumbria and the North East are likely to have been exposed to asbestos while working in shipyards with limited to no protection against the commonly-used material. Because of some of the lengthy gestation periods of some asbestos-related diseases, many VSEL employees who were exposed to asbestos fibres are only now experiencing symptoms of asbestosis, pleural thickening and mesothelioma.

If you are one of these individuals, we can help you claim compensation for your wrongful exposure to asbestos.

How Much Is a Personal Injury Claim Worth?

In personal injury claims for shipyard accidents, compensation is typically made up of separate types of damages:

• General damages are paid for pain, suffering and loss of amenity.
• Special damages are for financial losses incurred (and likely future financial losses) as a result of the injury.

Your solicitor will investigate the circumstances of a shipyard accident and the nature of your injury to establish how much compensation you could be entitled to. General damages are calculated based on the Judicial College Guidelines, which set minimum and maximum compensation ranges for different types of injuries. More severe injuries attract higher awards, as do those that result in a permanent disability, affect the person’s ability to enjoy life, carry out normal day-to-day activities, or result in a long recovery period.

Special damages cover quantifiable financial losses, including:

• Lost earnings if you missed work during your recovery, and future lost earnings if you can no longer work at the same capacity due to the injury.
• Medical treatment costs including rehabilitation and physiotherapy.
• Travel costs for hospital or GP appointments and other treatments.
• Costs for care or assistance required (whether provided by professionals or friends and family).
• Any adaptations to your home that are necessary to accommodate a disability caused by your shipyard accident.
• Any other out-of-pocket expenses directly caused by the injury.

This aspect of the compensation claim will be based on any receipts or invoices you can provide, and calculations by experts regarding future losses or costs. JMW’s compensation calculator can give you a more detailed estimate of how much money you could be owed.

Is There a Compensation Claim Time Limit?

You usually have three years from the date of a shipyard accident to claim compensation. If you were not aware of your injury until later, or a health condition developed over time and was not caused by a single incident, the time limit may begin from the date you became aware of your injury, or realised that it was caused by your workplace accident.

There are some exceptions to this three-year time limit, and claims for industrial diseases related to asbestos dust exposure can often be made many years after you were exposed. The team at JMW can discuss your circumstances, evaluate whether you are entitled to claim, and start the process ahead of any deadlines that apply. However, it is important to contact us at your earliest opportunity if you believe you may be able to claim.

Can You Claim for a Fatal Accident?

If a family member died in a shipyard accident, you may be able to claim compensation on their behalf. The estate of the deceased may bring a claim for the deceased’s pain, suffering and financial losses incurred by them prior to death. This must usually be done within the first six months after the person's death if it is to cover the deceased’s own losses.

The other option is for dependants to make a claim under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 for losses suffered because of the death. The dependants who may be able to claim include:

• The person's spouse or civil partner
• Someone who lived with the deceased as a partner for at least two years
• Children
• Parents
• Siblings of the deceased, in some cases

You must start the claims process within three years of the date of the person's death if you are claiming as a dependant. Contact JMW to learn more about whether you are entitled to claim following a fatal shipyard accident.