How long will you be paid under the Longshore Act?

Simply because you know that protections are in place to help you should you be injured doing maritime work at any of Manhattan’s docks or ports does not necessarily mean that you should be completely free from worry about what might happen should such a thing ever occur. Equally as important as knowing that you are entitled to benefits under the Longshore Act is understanding how long those benefits will last. The answer to the latter question depends on the nature of your injury. 

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the Longshore Act requires that you be paid 66 2/3 percent of your wage for the duration of your disability if you qualify as being permanently and totally disabled. If you suffer a total disability but its effects are believed to be only temporary, you are entitled to the same amount for the time period it takes for you to recover. 

Schedules have been set for injuries that leave you partially disabled yet are permanent in nature. The payment schedule you will follow depends on the type injury you suffer. The categories (and their associated payment periods) are broken down as follows: 

• Lost arm: 312 weeks 
• Lost leg: 288 weeks
• Lost hand: 244 weeks
• Lost foot: 205 weeks
• Lost eye: 160 weeks
• Hearing loss: 200 weeks for both ears, 52 weeks for one ear

If you lose any fingers on the job, you qualify for benefit payment periods of 75 weeks for your thumb, 46 weeks for your first finger, 30 weeks for your second finger, and 15 weeks for your fourth finger. The payment periods are 38 weeks and 16 weeks for your great toe and then any others, respectively. During these benefit payment periods, you will continue to be compensated at 66 2/3 percent of your weekly wages.