Washington County, Ohio

Located on the Ohio River between river miles 140 and 196, Washington County has a busy river community. The county is named for our nation’s first President, General George Washington. It is the home of the Ohio River Museum, whose exhibits include comprehensive studies of the natural history of the Ohio River, the history of boat building and the importance of the steamboat in the region. Marietta, Ohio has the largest population in Washington County at 14,085 residents and is the county seat.

For Washington County residents in the towns of Belpre, Beverly, Matamoras and Marietta life revolves around the river. Many people earn a living working as deckhands, engineers, tow boat captains and crew members for river companies located in the area, including: American Electric Power, Martin Marietta, Belpre Sand and Gravel, Marathon Ashland Petroleum, Eramet Marietta and Kraton Polymers. Employees injured while working for these businesses on the Ohio River, Kanawha River or other navigable waterways in the midwest, will benefit greatly from an attorney who understands the Jones Act, Longshore Act and General Maritime Law. Steven Schletker has been practicing these type of cases in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky for more than two decades.

Terminals, landings and docks line the banks of the Ohio River throughout the Washington County, Ohio area. Many Washington County citizens work on or near the river. Holding down a river related job is difficult both in terms of the physical exertion required of the worker and stress to the worker’s family. Line haul crew members typically have schedules that pull them away from their families for weeks at a time. Given the nature of working on the river, it is not unusual for injuries to occur. When a tow boat crew member is injured, the river employer springs into action. Per United States Coast Guard regulations, a drug test is administered to the injured worker. If the drug test detects alcohol or even a trace of marijuana the employer will likely dispute the payment of benefits. The employer next will likely direct the injured worker to a health care facility of the employer’s choosing. A safety worker or claims adjustor will likely present an accident or incident report for the injured worker to fill out. Be very careful when filling out the accident or incident report. What you say can and will be used against you. If you find yourself in this position, you are welcome to contact Steven Schletker for advice. He can offer counsel on how to present the facts of your accident in a fair and accurate manner that properly documents acts or omissions on the company’s part that may have contributed to the accident.

The economy in the Washington County region, as throughout the United States, is under-performing. An injured tow boat crew member or Longshore dock worker will likely find it difficult to find suitable alternate lighter duty work away from the river. Jobs are scarce in Washington County. Steven Schletker works with his clients, employers and with government agencies to identify available vocational rehabilitation programs to help return injured workers to active employment.

Feel free to call Steven Schletker toll free at 800-254-7487 for a free consultation if you have been injured working on or near the river. Steven Schletker is licensed in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky. He handles cases and claims along the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers and on the Great Lakes. Protect yourself, insure that your rights are safeguarded and get peace of mind by consulting with an experienced maritime attorney.