Salvage awards encourage volunteers to spring into action and save vessel and cargo from loss to marine perils. You don't need to be a 'professional' salvor to qualify for an award; the recreational boater, and the seaside visitor are equally entitled to a salvage award.

In order to qualify for a salvage award you typically need to show the following: (i) that the vessel was in peril; (ii) that you had no preexisting contract or obligation to assist the vessel and (iii) your efforts were successful --- in whole or in part. Once you show you have a right to award, you need to determine the size of the award.

Salvage awards are not based on time and materials like, say, the charge a marine vendor might assess. Salvage awards are generally determined as a proportion of the assisted vessel's post-casualty value. That is, your salvage award depends on how much value you saved from loss.

If you assisted a boat in peril, you don't want to walk away from the reward that the maritime law will give you. In this way, speak to your admiralty attorney to determine whether you qualify for an award and, if so, the size of the reward you might obtain.

Proctor-In-Admiralty, John K. Fulweiler, Esq., possesses significant experience litigating salvage claims and you can read one a decision in which he successfully represented a salvor HERE.

Underway and making way.

John K Fulweiler

Fulweiler llc

www.saltwaterlaw.com