Professional fishermen work in a very dangerous profession. Fishing often tops lists of the professions that have the highest fatalities. Fishermen may also have more risk of severe injury on the job than those in less demanding professions that they perform on land.
In some cases, the injuries sustained by professional fishermen are extreme enough to force them to leave their careers. They may not be able to work at all, or they may only be able to work in a lower-paid job.
What are some of the more common injuries associated with job loss among professional fishermen?
1. Brain injuries
Two main risks may lead to fishermen developing brain injuries because of their employment. Accidental contact with heavy equipment could cause blunt force trauma that results in a traumatic brain injury.
Other times, near-drowning incidents can result in brain injuries caused by a lack of oxygen. In both cases, the symptoms that develop may be permanent and could have a significant negative impact on a fisherman’s ability to support themselves.
2. Severe fractures and amputations
Heavy equipment, fast-moving nets and even falls can cause traumatic injuries to a worker’s limbs and extremities. Broken bones in the arms, legs and hands are relatively common.
In some cases, those broken bones may be relatively severe, as is the case with a crush injury. A fisherman may be at risk of medical professionals deciding to perform a surgical amputation because they cannot repair the traumatic damage to an injured limb or extremity.
Other times, getting tangled in netting or struck by moving equipment might lead to a traumatic amputation that occurs on the vessel. Both extreme fractures that affect functional ability and amputations can make it unsafe for a fisherman to continue their career.
3. Spinal cord injuries
Contact with equipment and falls can both cause injury to the back and the spinal cord. In some cases, workers could sever their spinal cords. The complete spinal cord injury they sustain may eliminate their sensation and motor control below the injury site.
Other times, a traumatic injury to the back or neck might result in an incomplete spinal cord injury. Incomplete spinal cord injuries can affect functional ability even though they don’t necessarily result in complete paralysis.
Under the Jones Act, injured fishermen may be able to seek maintenance and cure for their maritime injuries. Reviewing the circumstances that led to a fisherman’s injuries can help establish whether they may have grounds to take legal action in pursuit of compensation.