The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) provides critical protections for maritime workers, including longshoremen, ship-repairers, and harbor construction workers. However, defending claims under this act presents unique challenges, particularly when it comes to locating claimants for surveillance or verification. Maritime workers lead lives shaped by their demanding work environment, characterized by extended periods at sea and transient lifestyles on land. This article explores the psychographics and behavioral traits common among these workers, how these traits complicate locating them, and how psychological profiling, as leveraged by Turnstone Intelligence, offers a strategic advantage for insurance defense attorneys.

Common Behavioral and Lifestyle Traits of Maritime Workers

Maritime workers operate in a high-stakes, physically and mentally demanding environment. Their work often involves 10- to 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, for months at a time, with limited access to communication channels like cell service (Maintenance and Cure). This isolation fosters specific personality traits that enable them to thrive under such conditions.

Research highlights several key traits among seafarers, including:

• Resilience: The ability to manage stress and maintain composure in high-pressure situations, such as navigating rough seas or mechanical failures.

• Adaptability: Flexibility to adjust to changing environments, from confined ship quarters to diverse port cities.

• Decision-Making: Quick problem-solving skills critical for handling emergencies at sea.

• Adventurous Spirit: A propensity for seeking new experiences, often drawn to the travel and exploration inherent in maritime careers (SAFETY4SEA).

  
  

These traits are not merely professional requirements but also shape their personal lives. When not at sea, maritime workers often lead nomadic lifestyles. Unlike typical employees with fixed residences, they may opt for temporary housing, stay with family or friends, or live in locations far from their work ports. A discussion on a maritime-focused online forum illustrates this, with workers noting they might live “in the middle of nowhere” to save on rent, flying to ports when needed, or maintain apartments that sit empty during long voyages (Reddit).

Trait	Description	Impact on Lifestyle
Resilience	Managing stress in high-pressure environments	Comfort with unpredictable schedules and isolation
Adaptability	Adjusting to diverse and changing environments	Willingness to move frequently or live temporarily
Adventurous Spirit	Seeking new experiences and travel	Preference for dynamic, non-traditional living arrangements
Decision-Making	Quick problem-solving in emergencies	Ability to navigate complex personal logistics

The unique lifestyle of maritime workers makes them significantly harder to locate than average workers’ compensation claimants. Several factors contribute to this challenge:

1. Extended Periods at Sea: Maritime workers can be at sea for 2-4 months at a time, during which they are largely unreachable due to limited or no cell service. This isolation delays communication and complicates efforts to serve legal documents or conduct surveillance (Maintenance and Cure).

2. Transient Living Arrangements: When on land, many workers do not maintain permanent residences. Some choose to live near ports to access union halls for job opportunities, while others reside in distant, cost-effective locations, traveling to work as needed. This variability makes it difficult to pinpoint a stable address (Reddit).

3. Unpredictable Schedules: The maritime industry operates on rotation systems, such as 2 weeks on/2 weeks off or longer cycles, leading to irregular patterns of availability. Workers may be in transit, visiting family, or engaging in leisure activities during their time off, further obscuring their whereabouts.

4. Behavioral Traits: The same traits that make maritime workers effective in their roles—resilience, adaptability, and an adventurous spirit—also contribute to their elusiveness. Their comfort with change and preference for dynamic lifestyles mean they are less likely to follow predictable routines, challenging traditional skip tracing methods.

   
   

These factors create a perfect storm for insurance defense attorneys tasked with locating claimants to verify their lifestyle and limitations. Standard approaches, such as checking public records or contacting known addresses, often fall short when dealing with individuals who may be at sea or living temporarily in an unfamiliar location.

Leveraging Psychological Profiling

Psychological profiling, or the analysis of psychographics, offers a powerful tool to address these challenges. By understanding the behavioral patterns and preferences of maritime workers, investigators can make informed predictions about their likely locations and activities, enhancing the effectiveness of skip tracing and surveillance efforts.

How Profiling Works

Psychological profiling involves analyzing a claimant’s personality traits, habits, and lifestyle choices to anticipate their behavior. For maritime workers, this might include:

• Hobby and Interest Analysis: An adventurous worker might frequent outdoor recreational areas, such as fishing spots or hiking trails, during time off. Identifying these preferences can guide investigators to potential locations.

• Social Connections: Understanding a worker’s social network, such as family or friends they visit when on land, can provide leads on their whereabouts.

• Routine Patterns: While their schedules are irregular, workers may have consistent habits, such as visiting specific ports or establishments, that can be leveraged for surveillance.

  
  

Modern skip tracing techniques increasingly incorporate behavioral analysis, using data analytics and machine learning to identify patterns in an individual’s activities. For example, analyzing social media activity or historical location data can reveal insights into a claimant’s movements (Tracers).

Evidence of Effectiveness

While psychological profiling is usually associated with criminal investigations, its principles apply to civil and administrative contexts like workers’ compensation claims. Studies suggest that profiling can be a valuable investigative tool when used alongside other methods, helping to narrow down suspect pools or predict behaviors (Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology). In skip tracing, behavioral analysis has been shown to improve efficiency by identifying likely locations based on past patterns, such as social media interactions or known hobbies (Tracers).

Anecdotal evidence from maritime workers themselves supports the utility of profiling. For instance, discussions on online forums reveal that workers often engage in specific activities, like visiting family or pursuing outdoor hobbies, during their time off. By understanding these tendencies, investigators can strategically plan when and where to attempt contact or surveillance (Reddit).

Turnstone Intelligence’s Expertise

Turnstone Intelligence stands at the forefront of applying psychological profiling to maritime workers’ compensation claims. Our approach integrates psychographic analysis with advanced investigative techniques to provide insurance defense attorneys with actionable insights. By decoding the behavioral patterns of maritime workers, we help our clients:

• Predict Claimant Locations: Identify likely places where claimants may be found, such as recreational areas or temporary residences, based on their personality traits and habits.

• Optimize Surveillance: Plan surveillance efforts during periods when claimants are most likely to be on land and engaged in activities that reveal their true physical capabilities.

• Verify Lifestyle and Limitations: Assess whether a claimant’s reported limitations align with their observed behaviors, strengthening the defense against exaggerated or fraudulent claims.

  
  

Our expertise is particularly valuable in the context of the LHWCA, where the stakes are high, and the challenges of locating claimants are significant. By combining psychological profiling with traditional skip tracing methods, we offer a comprehensive strategy that enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of claim defense.

Conclusion

Maritime workers under the LHWCA present a unique challenge for insurance defense attorneys due to their transient lifestyles and distinctive behavioral traits. Extended periods at sea, unpredictable schedules, and a propensity for nomadic living make them harder to locate than typical claimants. However, by leveraging psychological profiling, investigators can gain a deeper understanding of these workers’ behaviors, enabling more effective skip tracing and surveillance. Turnstone Intelligence’s expertise in this field provides a critical advantage, empowering attorneys to navigate the complexities of LHWCA claims with confidence and precision.

References:

9 Key Personality Traits for Every Seafarer

Where Do Merchant Mariners and Maritime Workers Live During Their Time Off?

What You Should Know Before Becoming a Maritime Worker

The Benefits and Risks of Working in the Maritime Industry

Emerging Technologies in Skip Tracing: What the Future Holds