Maritime Law Demanding accountability from those at fault

Maritime Law Attorney in Mississippi

Fighting for Injured Seamen in the Gulf of Mexico & Worldwide

The Gulf of Mexico may be miles from Jackson or Ridgeland, but for Mississippi seamen, offshore workers, and maritime families, the dangers of life at sea hit far closer to home. A fall overboard, collision, or vessel fire can leave a worker permanently disabled—or worse—while corporations and insurers fight to minimize responsibility and protect their bottom line.

At T. Mark Sledge, Attorney at Law, we stand with the men and women who make their living offshore. Led by former Circuit Court Judge Mark Sledge, who has been litigating maritime and Jones Act claims since 1980, our firm represents Mississippi seamen and maritime workers injured on commercial vessels, drilling rigs, and oil and gas platforms around the world.

You deserve a Mississippi maritime lawyer who cares and will fight for the outcome you deserve. Call (601) 768-2165 now to get started.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Maritime Injury Case?

Depending on the facts, responsible parties may include:

Vessel owners and operators
Offshore drilling contractors
Equipment manufacturers
Vessel charter companies
Third-party maintenance crews
Shipping companies and their foreign subsidiaries

Our Mississippi firm works to identify every possible defendant and preserve evidence before it disappears or is moved offshore.

Key Maritime Laws That Protect Injured Seamen

The Jones Act (Merchant Marine Act of 1920)
The cornerstone of maritime injury law, the Jones Act allows seamen to sue employers for negligence. If a shipowner fails to provide safe equipment, properly train the crew, or follow basic safety protocols, injured seamen may recover damages for lost wages, medical care, pain and suffering, and loss of earning capacity.

The Doctrine of Unseaworthiness
Even without proof of employer negligence, a vessel’s owner has an absolute duty to provide a seaworthy vessel. If broken equipment, an understaffed crew, or dangerous working conditions cause injury, seamen may recover under a claim of unseaworthiness.

Maintenance & Cure
Under general maritime law, injured seamen are entitled to “maintenance and cure” benefits regardless of fault. Maintenance covers daily living expenses while unable to work; cure pays for all reasonable medical care related to the injury, up to the point of maximum recovery.

Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA)
When maritime accidents result in death beyond U.S. territorial waters (more than three nautical miles offshore), DOHSA allows surviving family members to pursue damages for financial losses, loss of support, and funeral expenses.

Longshore & Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA)
For dock workers, longshoremen, and certain other maritime employees who work near—but not directly on—navigable waters, the LHWCA provides no-fault benefits similar to workers’ comp, while still allowing limited third-party claims in some cases.

As a maritime lawyer in Mississippi with decades of experience in this complex arena, Mark Sledge is uniquely qualified to handle cases for injured seamen and families who have lost loved ones.

How Maritime Accidents Happen

Maritime workers face some of the most hazardous job conditions anywhere. Despite stringent safety regulations and agencies like the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), however, the same high-risk failures continue to appear again and again across global offshore drilling, cargo shipping, and commercial fishing operations.

Common maritime accident scenarios include:

Falls Overboard: Unsecured decks, slippery surfaces, or listing vessels can cause workers to fall into the water, where they risk drowning and hypothermia.
Explosions & Fires: Fuel leaks, gas blowouts, or welding sparks may ignite vessel fires or result in platform explosions, putting every crew member at risk.
Vessel Collisions & Allisions: Crashes between ships, or vessels striking stationary structures such as rigs, piers, or bridges, can cause serious injury or death.
Groundings & Founderings: Improper navigation, bad weather, or equipment failure can cause maritime vessels to run aground, capsize, or sink entirely.
Equipment Failures: Improperly maintained, aging, or defective winches, cranes, drilling equipment, and other machinery can cause catastrophic accidents.

Because offshore work often involves international waters or foreign-flagged vessels, jurisdictional issues add another layer of complexity. Our job is to sort out where your claim must be filed and under what law it will proceed—so you don’t lose valuable time or rights.

Choose an Experienced Mississippi Maritime Attorney

Maritime defendants don’t operate like local companies. Vessel owners, energy giants, and international insurers have legal teams that specialize in minimizing payouts. Many victims don’t realize they have far greater legal rights than what company representatives suggest.

Mark Sledge has spent more than 40 years building maritime cases that stand up to even the most sophisticated defense teams. His work includes major offshore injury cases such as J.P. Upton vs. Diamond Offshore Drilling, where he helped a Mississippi offshore worker injured off the coast of Brazil secure a $4.9 million jury verdict.

We know how these companies operate, how their safety policies fail, and how to build a damages model that fully reflects a seaman’s future medical needs, loss of earning capacity, and the unique toll offshore injuries take on families.

Why Maritime Law Is Different

Maritime law isn’t simply another branch of personal injury—it’s an entire body of law built around the unique dangers of working on or near navigable waters. Seamen and offshore workers don’t fall under Mississippi’s state workers’ comp system; they are protected by specialized federal laws that allow for far broader compensation when negligence or unseaworthy conditions cause harm.

Unlike land-based injury cases, maritime accident claims involve a complex blend of statutes, international treaties, and centuries of case law—all of which shape how compensation is awarded and who may be held liable.

$44,500,000 Offshore Oil Rig Injury
$10,000,000 Accident on Drilling Ship
$8,000,000 18-Wheeler Accident

From Circuit Court Judge to Personal Injury Advocate Driven to Make a Real Difference for You

For over 15 years, Mark has actively represented plaintiffs in major mass tort cases, including breast implant and phen-phen litigation, leading successful drug litigation such as Parlodel, Duract, and Stadol, securing strong recoveries for his clients. From Circuit Court Judge to Personal Injury Advocate — Driven to Make a Real Difference for You

CONNECT WITH MARK TODAY

Reach Out Today: (601) 768-2165

If you’ve been injured offshore or lost a loved one to a maritime disaster, you don’t need a firm that’s “learning” maritime law—you need one that’s spent decades inside these cases. At T. Mark Sledge, Attorney at Law, we combine local commitment with national experience, offering Mississippi seamen and maritime families the full legal firepower they deserve.

Call (601) 768-2165 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with maritime lawyer Mark Sledge.

Standing Up For Folks LIke You

We don’t back down—and neither should you

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