Hampton Roads with its many naval bases and shipyards sees frequent accidents involving workers. On occasions, shipyard workers are killed or contract deadly diseases from chemical exposure.
The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act confers employment-injury and occupational-disease protection to thousands of workers who are injured or suffer serious occupational diseases occurring on the navigable waters of the United States, or in adjoining areas.
The legislation covers workers who unload and load ships and marine construction workers.
Workers have certain rights under the Longshore Act, including:
The right to an initial free choice of physician. The employer cannot pick the doctor for you.
The right to reinstatement of back wages following termination for filing a claim or seeing compensation under the act.
The right to temporary total disability payments while not working must be determined by your treating physician as opposed to the company doctor.
A provision for your employer to pay temporary disability payments and any permanent disability payments.
Temporary disability payments equal to two-thirds of your average weekly wage for the 52 weeks prior to your disability if you are not able to return to your job following an injury.