The Death on the High Seas Act was made into law in 1920 in order for the widows of seamen who died in international waters to collect damages for future lost earnings. This law was very limited, and often tied the amount widows could recover to the amount salvaged from the damaged ship, which ultimately meant that most widows got nothing.

In 2000 the act was revised to compensate for the economic as well as the emotional suffering of the families of lost sailors. It also was modified to cover airplane crashes as planes are now being used for what ships were used for in the past. This made an already complicated law more complicated.

If you lost a loved one in international waters you may be able to claim damages under the Death on the High Seas Act. Not many lawyers are capable of handling the complicated litigation surrounding these cases, so it is important to have a lawyer who understands the intricacy of the law. Fill in the free contact form and be put in contact with an experienced attorney today.

The Law Firm of Steigerwalt & Associates is here to help victims of offshore accidents throughout the country

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