JONES ACT & MARITIME LAWYERS
This content has been written by a team of legal writers and reviewed by Terry Crouppen
Inland and offshore maritime work are dangerous. The U.S. Congress recognized this danger and the need for extra protections for maritime employees when it passed the Jones Act, also known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. Under this federal law, if a seaman suffers a maritime injury or wrongful death, he or she may be entitled to monetary compensation under maritime law and the Jones Act. An injured seaman may also be entitled to immediate payment of medical bills and maintenance payments.
If you or a loved one have been injured or killed as a result of maritime work, our Jones Act lawyers can help you pursue compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, and workers’ compensation benefits. Call or request a free case evaluation to get help with your case. Our attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we don’t get paid unless you win.
KNOW YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AS A MARITIME WORKER
The Jones Act provides protection for seamen in the event of maritime accidents, negligence, injury, and unseaworthiness. Maritime law is very complex. The law has specific rules covering on-the-job personal injuries including, offshore injuries and injuries in navigable waters. Many mariners are not covered by a workers’ compensation system. That means an injured seaman will likely have to prove that his or her employer was at fault in causing the accident. If an employee can show that the employer was responsible for his or her injuries, the employee may be entitled to money damages for medical treatment, lost wages, disability, and pain and suffering.
To prove negligence under the Jones Act rules, one of the following conditions must be met:
- An action was taken that a reasonable person would not do.
- A failure to take action which a reasonable person would take.
- A failure to take reasonable precautions that would prevent injuries.
Injury lawyers at the law firm of Brown and Crouppen have represented maritime workers covered under the Jones Act and general maritime law for many years. Our maritime attorneys know the law and have extensive experience fighting for the rights of maritime workers.
WHO DOES THE JONES ACT COVER?
Maritime workers whose work-related injury claims are likely to be covered under the provisions of the Jones Act include:
- merchant marines
- harbor workers
- seamen and crew members
- boat officers
- barge workers
- tugboat workers
- river workers
- cooks
- technicians
- cargo ship workers
- cruise ship crew members
- pilots
- offshore workers, such as commercial fishing and oil rig work
WHAT COMPENSATION DOES THE JONES ACT PROVIDE?
The law provides for several different types of maritime workers’ compensation. Injured workers may be eligible for:
- lost wages
- lost earning capacity
- medical care and resulting medical expenses
- pain and suffering (both physical and psychological)
- physical disability
- reasonable expenses for food and shelter
GET THE CARE AND HELP YOU NEED WITH YOUR JONES ACT CLAIM
Being hurt while working a maritime job can mean more than just having to worry about medical expenses and wage loss. Maritime workers who report injuries at work often face immediate discipline and retaliation from management. The injured seaman or offshore worker’s family members suffer too.
Our Jones Act lawyers have decades of combined experience filing Jones Act cases and representing victims of maritime injuries in federal courts. We focus our attention on providing critical legal advice and helping injured seamen and offshore workers through this difficult time in all aspects of their case, from the living room to the courtroom.
Get started with a free consultation with one of our skilled Personal Injury Lawyers today.
PUT YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES FIRST
Maritime employers and their insurance companies are only concerned with minimizing the cost of your Jones Act claim. They do not care whether you or your loved one have been seriously hurt or whether you will miss work in the future. The claims representative’s goal is to pay injured workers and their families as little as possible for their Jones Act injury claims. An experienced maritime lawyer like the ones at the Brown & Crouppen law firm can provide critical legal representation to ensure that your personal injury case is handled fairly.
GET A FREE CASE EVALUATION FROM THE EXPERIENCED JONES ACT LAWYERS AT BROWN & CROUPPEN
Getting started is easy. You can call us at 888-802-0827 for a free consultation, or tell us about your case with our Free Case Review form. And remember, there’s no upfront cost to you — if you don’t get paid, we don’t get paid.
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- Last Modified:
- September 20, 2023
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