Diving underwater for any reason carries some risks, but commercial diving tends to be more dangerous than recreational diving. In fact, commercial diving accidents can lead to serious injuries and even death for people just trying to do their job. If you’re concerned about the injuries that may be caused by commercial diving accidents, take a look at what you need to know.
What Does a Commercial Diver Do?
Diving for a living might sound like a pleasant job, but it’s not as quaint as one might think. For anyone wondering, “what does a commercial diver do?,” the answer is: mainly works underwater to perform tasks related to fields like construction, oil, welding, maintenance, and shipping. Not only is spending a lot of time underwater risky on its own but commercial divers also frequently have to use heavy equipment that can be dangerous. Therefore, commercial diving fatalities and injuries are not uncommon.
Common Commercial Diving Accidents That Can Lead to Fatalities
Commercial divers perform a variety of tasks depending on the industry they’re working in, but some injuries can happen to any diver, regardless of specific tasks for work. For example, any commercial diver may suffer from medical problems caused by the pressure under the water, such as nitrogen narcosis, the bends, and gas toxicity.
But there are also commercial diving accidents that are specific to the industry in which the diver works. For example, divers who work in underwater welding can burn themselves on the welding equipment they use, while those who have to get close to ships might get cut by propellers. No matter what industry you’re in, you should talk to a Houston maritime attorney like Richard Schechter after a commercial diving injury, as you’ll likely want to seek compensation for your medical and other expenses.
Investigating Recreational and Commercial Diving Accidents
Commercial diving is known for being a dangerous field to work in, as there are a lot of deep sea diving accidents that result in injury or death. Investigating recreational and commercial diving injuries alike can be difficult and requires carefully examining equipment and the diver’s and tender’s logs and records.
Many experts investigating recreational and commercial diving accidents find that there was some negligence that caused the injury or death. Sometimes it’s due to malfunctioning equipment that has not been correctly maintained, and other times it’s due to diver fatigue as he or she feels pressured by the employer to work long hours. Regardless of the cause of your diving accident, you should contact The Law Office of Richard Schechter, P.C. to find out how to proceed with your case.
Rights of Workers After Deep Sea Diving Accidents
Whether you think your employer was negligent before your accident or you believe it was unavoidable, you deserve compensation as you recover. You should not have to suffer financially as your medical bills come in, and you shouldn’t have to miss out on income while you are taking time off to heal. You may be covered by the Jones Act, USL&H Workers’ Comp Act or some other type of coverage that can provide you with the compensation you need.
If you’re not sure how to go about getting compensation after a commercial diving accident, get a free consultation with The Law Office of Richard Schechter, P.C. for guidance on your case. Contact us today to schedule your free initial consultation.
