Knee Injuries

Maritime Knee Injury Lawyer

The knee is a complex structure that can easily be injured aboard ships, fishing vessels, tug boats, and ferries.

If you have suffered a knee injury while working on any type of ship or boat, please contact a maritime attorney at Beard Stacey & Jacobsen, LLP for a free initial consultation and case evaluation. We have handled hundreds of knee injury claims aboard ships. Our lawyers may be able to help you obtain the money damages you deserve for your knee injury, medical care, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more. It costs you nothing to find out if you have a valid injury claim. If you do, we will put up all the upfront costs so you will pay no attorney fees unless we win money for you.

For more than 25 years, our lawyers have represented seaman with all types of knee injuries, including:

• Fracture or dislocation of knee bones
• Torn ligaments
• Strained, sprained, ruptured, or inflamed tendons
• Torn cartilage
• Inflammation or infection of the bursa
• Hyper extended knees
• Injured meniscus
• Locked knee joints

Maritime workers can injure their knees slipping on the deck, falling while stepping onto the boat, twisting the body to pitch a fish, lifting heavy loads, or by just trying to keep their balance in too rough seas.

The knee joint is made up of four bones: the femur (thigh bone), tibia and fibula (lower leg bones), and patella (knee cap). Ligaments and tendons connect the bones and muscles. Cartilage and fluid-filled bursa provide cushioning where the bones meet. Two pieces of cartilage called the meniscus make up a disc shaped cushion between the knee bones. The lateral meniscus is the outside portion of the cushion; the medial meniscus is the inside portion.

Knee injuries often involve one or more of these four ligaments:

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL): Prevents the tibia from sliding up the front of the femur.
• Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL): Prevents the tibia from sliding up the back of the thigh bone
• Lateral collateral ligament (LCL): Prevents the knee from buckling outward
• Medial collateral ligament (MCL): Prevents the knee from buckling inward

Ruptures or tears in any of these structures can cause debilitating knee joint pain.

From our offices in Seattle and Anchorage, our maritime law attorneys have recovered compensation for thousands of fishermen, maritime workers, and others who have been injured at sea. We'd like to help you, too. To discuss your case, please contact us today for a free consultation.