Sustained a Maritime Injury? Don’t Wait Around and Follow These 5 Steps

When an accident happens, a lot of things can go wrong before you get help. Getting injured at sea is dangerous, and can leave you in a difficult position. Once the dust has settled, a maritime accident attorney can safely handle the rest of the process. Swift action is required to get the compensation you deserve without any runarounds.

1. Assess the Situation

Immediately gauge your surroundings when the accident happens. Are you still in danger? Before you move, try to determine the seriousness of the injury. Moving may aggravate it further or lead to lethal damage. If your skin was pierced with a sharp object, don’t pull it out. Doing so can damage nerves, and in worst case scenarios make the blood loss uncontrollable. If you feel yourself falling asleep, call for help and try to prop yourself up on something solid. How quickly you observe your injury and surroundings will help you get through a serious maritime injury.

2. Get Medical Help

How quickly you get medical attention will be the difference between life and death. Take help as it is offered, and be honest about your injuries. At a later date, you can see your current physician for a follow-up. When you’re getting help for a maritime injury, don’t become irrational about where the care is coming from. There have been instances where the victim turned away help out of fear that insurance wouldn’t cover care. Always tend to your injuries first, especially when there is no guarantee on your future health.

3. Inform Someone in A Leadership Position

Witness reports, photos, videos and general notes need to be documented. If you can’t handle this on your own, find a trustworthy third-party to help with the process. Once your injuries are stabilized, inform someone in a leadership position about the incident. A person in a leadership position should not be your function as your third-party witness if there was another person present. A witness is a key position that will make or break whatever claim you make in the future. If there are no other third-party choices to act as a witness, then there is nothing wrong with choosing someone in a leadership position.

4. Remain Calm

You can compile a lot of information about the incident if you remain calm. It’s easy to miss small details when you’re panicking. Once you lose control, everyone around you gets anxious. When the people around you become anxious, they are less reliable as an unbiased third party.

5. Get Legal Help

A maritime accident attorney should be one of the first calls you place when everything settles down. The longer you wait to make the call, the easier it is for due compensation to slip away. Once you start suffering from a maritime injury, the clock starts ticking on your quality of life. Make the right decision for your health by not giving in to common scare tactics.

Wrap Up

Try not to panic when you get into a maritime accident. Follow the steps above, and you’ll gain a better perspective when things go south. By taking control of the situation, everyone around you will remain calm.