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Life at sea can feel isolating, and that isolation can make sexual assault or violent conduct even more traumatic. Many survivors feel trapped, unsure who to trust, and worried their careers will be ruined if they speak up.
At Shlosman Law Firm, we listen with care, then step in to protect your rights and push for real accountability. Our team knows maritime law and Louisiana courts, and we work hard to help you rebuild and move forward.
What Is Sexual Assault and Violence in a Maritime Context?
Commercial vessels, from offshore supply boats to blue water ships, operate in tight quarters where power can be abused. These cases call for quick action and plain guidance, since evidence and witness memories can fade fast.
Defining the Offenses Aboard Ships
Sexual assault includes any unwanted sexual contact, threats of sex, forced acts, or conduct where a person cannot consent due to intoxication, sleep, or coercion.
Consent must be direct and voluntary, and silence is not consent. Violence can also include physical attacks, stalking, or threats used to control a crew member’s work or bunk space.
We often see abuse take different forms on vessels, so it helps to name them plainly.
- Unwanted touching, groping, or attempts to corner someone in a cabin or work area
- Quid pro quo pressure from a superior tied to shifts, pay, or shore leave.
- Physical beatings, choking, or threats with tools or gear.
- Severe bullying, sexual comments, or intimidation that creates a hostile shipboard environment.
If any of this sounds familiar, you are not alone, and you have options under maritime and Louisiana law.
The Impact on Survivors
Survivors can face injuries, sexually transmitted infections, and long-lasting pain. Many also carry invisible wounds like post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, sleep troubles, and difficulty returning to vessel work. Pay disruption and medical costs can add pressure at the worst time.
Being stuck offshore with the attacker compounds the harm and delays help. Access to a sexual assault nurse exam or counseling is limited at sea, and reporting can feel risky. That isolation does not reduce your rights, and it does not excuse the employer’s failures.
Recovery often involves medical care and steady support, along with legal action that focuses on your safety and future.
Louisiana and General Maritime Law Protections
Federal maritime law and Louisiana law both protect workers who suffer assault or shipboard violence. The Jones Act allows injured seamen to bring claims for employer negligence, including negligent hiring, training, or supervision related to an assault.
General maritime law also recognizes unseaworthiness when a vessel is unsafe, including a crew member with a known violent streak.
In many cases, an employer can be held liable for failing to provide a safe place to work or for keeping a dangerous crew member after prior incidents.
Claims for maintenance and cure remain available for medical treatment and basic living costs while you recover. Depending on where the vessel sailed and who owns it, additional state and federal remedies can apply in Louisiana courts.
How Shlosman Law Firm Assists Survivors
Our team moves quickly to protect your privacy, lock down evidence, and push back against corporate tactics. We handle the legal push while you focus on medical care and personal recovery.
Confidential Initial Consultation
We start with a private, trauma-informed meeting where you set the pace. We listen, identify safety needs, and map the first steps for care and legal protection. Your story stays confidential within the bounds of law.
Our office creates a calm space, free from judgment. You will never be pressured to make a move before you feel ready.
Once you are safe, we shift toward evidence and legal strategy so your claim starts strong.
Thorough Case Assessment and Evidence Preservation
Evidence on a vessel can disappear quickly, so we move right away to secure ship logs, CCTV footage, incident reports, and access control data. We also reach out to witnesses before memories fade. Where needed, we seek court orders to prevent spoliation and preserve digital records.
Here are common proof sources we work to secure and review.
- Bridge and deck logs, CCTV video, and door swipe records
- Crew rosters, prior complaints, HR files, and disciplinary notes
- Medical logs, radio traffic, injury reports, and Coast Guard records
- Phone messages, emails, and location data tied to the incident
With the facts in hand, we build claims against the employer, the vessel owner, and the attacker where the law allows.
Client Communication and Advocacy
We keep you updated at every step, including court filings and agency actions such as Coast Guard or OSHA-style inquiries. Questions get answers fast, and we explain options in plain language. Our goal is to take stress off your shoulders while you heal.
If retaliation or harassment starts after a report, we act fast to protect your job rights and personal safety. Your well-being sits at the center of every decision.
Direct communication helps you choose the path that fits your needs and your peace of mind.
Pursuing Justice and Compensation
We push hard in talks with insurers and vessel operators, and we are ready for mediation or trial if needed. Our focus is on full compensation for medical care, therapy, lost income, and future earning losses. We also seek damages for physical pain and emotional harm under the laws that apply.
Big shipping companies often fight these claims, so we prepare each case as if it will be tried. That approach boosts leverage and encourages fair outcomes.
Every step aims to hold wrongdoers accountable and help you move forward with dignity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Survivors often share the same urgent questions. Here are plain answers that can help right now.
What should I do immediately following an assault on a commercial vessel?
Get to a safe area, alert a trusted officer or law enforcement if available, and ask that the incident be logged. Keep any clothing or bedding unwashed, and save texts or photos. Seek medical and forensic care as soon as possible, then contact our team for guidance.
Quick action supports your health and your legal rights. We can help coordinate the next steps at the first safe port.
How long do I have to file a claim in Louisiana for a maritime injury?
Most maritime injury claims, including Jones Act and general maritime claims, carry a 3-year filing period. Some contracts or special statutes can shorten or change that timing. Speak with us early so deadlines do not cut off your rights, and so evidence stays intact.
Fast legal help improves your position with insurers and corporate defendants. Timing matters, and we track every date for you.
Can I hold my employer responsible for an assault by a coworker?
Yes, employers owe a safe workplace and can be liable for negligent hiring, retention, or failure to act after warnings. If a crew member with a violent history harms others, that can render the vessel unseaworthy under maritime law. You can also pursue negligence claims tied to poor policies or lax supervision.
We investigate prior complaints and training gaps to connect the dots. Those facts help prove corporate fault and increase available damages.
Contact Shlosman Law Firm to Get Started
You do not have to face this alone, and your privacy matters to us. For a confidential, no-pressure consultation, call 504-826-9427 or visit our contact page to send a message.
We are ready to listen, explain your options, and fight for the justice you deserve in Louisiana courts and under federal maritime law.