Meigs County, Ohio

Located on the Ohio River between river miles 200 and 256, Meigs County is a bustling river community. The County is named in honor of the fourth Governor of Ohio, Return Jonathan Meigs, Jr. Governor Meigs was a Yale graduate who resigned the Governorship to become Postmaster General of the United States in 1814. Meigs County is the home of the Bridge of Honor, (aka the Pomeroy–Mason Bridge) a spectacular cable-stayed bridge over the Ohio River. For Middleport residents and for those living in the nearby towns of Pomeroy, Syracuse, Racine, Rutland, and Apple Grove, life often revolves around the Ohio River. Many people have made their living working as dock workers, deckhands, engineers, tow boat crew members for river companies located in the area. Meigs County companies that conduct business on, near or related to the Ohio River include AEP River Transportation, Ohio Valley Electric, Gatling Coal Company, Martin Marietta, Century Aluminum, Shelly Materials and Letart Corporation. Those injured working for these businesses on the Ohio River or other navigable waterways in the Midwest, will need an attorney who understands the Jones Act and General Maritime Law.

Terminals, landings and docks line the banks of the Ohio River throughout Meigs County. After suffering an injury on the river, tow boat workers are often faced with the harsh reality of having to deal with river company claims personnel, insurance company adjusters and maritime defense lawyers. When a river worker is injured, there is a need for an attorney who understands the differences between a Jones Act and General Maritime worker, and a state compensation worker. If a deck hand, engineer or pilot had to match wits with a lawyer about working on the river, how to lay a double up wire or take a cut of barges through a lock, the river worker would do quite well. However, if the injured river worker is required to match wits with a claims adjuster or company safety man about the technicalities of Jones Act, general maritime law, that is a different matter. It is difficult enough to deal with a back injury, hearing loss, knee surgery or other work related injury on the river without having to deal with issues of maritime law.

Steven Schletker is licensed in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia. He is an experienced attorney who focuses on representation of Jones Act seamen, deckhands, engineers, mates, tow boat crew members injured on the Ohio River, Lake Erie, Kanawha and other inland waterways and docks. He handles Ohio River and tributary river cases from Paducah, Kentucky to Parkersburg, West Virginia and has represented numerous injured workers along Lake Erie ports from Toledo, Ohio to Conneaut, Ohio.

As an injured worker, the first step in protecting yourself is to contact an experienced attorney who regularly practices Jones Act, General Maritime Law, and river cases. Your initial consultation with Steven Schletker is free. There are no upfront costs or fees. A retainer payment is not required. Steven Schletker receives payment only when he successfully prosecutes your case.