New York Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act
Harbor workers put themselves at great risk performing their daily jobs. If a harbor worker or longshoremen is injured while working on a pier, dock, bridge, or harbor, the worker may be entitled to recover benefits through the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA). This federal system allows harbor workers to secure benefits for medical care and two-thirds of their weekly wages for work-related accidents, regardless of fault.
Workers covered by LHWCA include:
- Ship builders
- Crane operators
- Ship repairmen
- Forklift operators
- Marine construction workers
- Vessel repair workers
- Gas and oil rig employees
Unlike the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) allows injured harbor workers and families with fatal work-related accident claims to obtain benefits without proving the cause of the accident. However, injured harbor workers and families with wrongful death claims are limited in the amount of compensation they can recover through LHWCA. Injured workers and families with fatal accident claims cannot sue the employer for additional compensation.