Maritime claims have a long history in the United States. The Jones Act, for instance, helps protect American crews as it requires that all goods carried between two American ports be manned by American crews and carried in American flag ships. But maritime claims are not only about claims that are made on the ocean. They are also about protections for longshoremen and harbor workers.
And these maritime claims have been extended to include other workers as well, such as workers on defense bases as outlined in the Defense Base Act. This is not particularly surprising given that there are over 150,000 defense contractors on bases in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The average weekly wage for a person working as a contractor or longshoreman is around 650 USD per week. For this reason, it makes sense that people in these lines of work, which can often lead to significant injuries, should be well covered. Longshore harbor workers and Jones Act workers need the sort of expenses which will cover the cost of their funeral should they pass away. Typically, this is covered for up to 3000 USD.
There are lawyers who deal almost exclusively with Longshore Act workers and other claims like it. These individuals are often referred to as Defense Base Act attorneys. Longshore and harbor workers compensation can lead to significant relief for family members. Of course, it is best not to be injured at all, but sometimes finding the best compensation requires looking to the government.
This does not mean that people will be free from the difficulties of adjusting. Everyone needs to adjust. It is just a matter of finding the proper balance for the adjustments that they need to make. The Longshore Act was created to give people that opportunity.