Working as a commercial diver can be a very lucrative career choice. This is a specialized industry, as not many people have the skills, training and certification to work as professional divers. It is also a relatively high-risk industry, so those who can routinely provide these types of services are in high demand.
As a result, the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that some commercial divers make over $100,000 a year. For this reason, those who are injured on the job may need to look into their options to seek workers’ comp benefits, which could include accounting for lost future earnings.
Disability benefits
With traditional personal injury lawsuits, an injured party can often sue the negligent party who caused those injuries for lost future earnings or reduced earning capacity. But workers’ compensation benefits work a bit differently.
To start with, a diver who has suffered a permanent injury, such as a traumatic brain injury, may start by seeking compensation for lost earnings, medical bills and other necessary damages. With workers’ comp, proving fault and negligence is not necessary. Someone who was injured while working as an employee deserves this compensation.
When that injury is permanent, however, the workers’ comp claim may also address disability benefits. Someone with a TBI may never be able to return to a career where they were earning over $100,000 a year. So they need to consider both the short-term and long-term impact on their earnings.
These are very complex cases with a lot of money at stake, so it can help to work with an experienced maritime injury attorney.