The Jones Act and You

The federal law known as the Jones Act offers legal protection to injured sailors, merchant mariners and the crew of a ship or vessel. The Jones Act was enacted by Congress to give mariners special legal rights because of the dangers to life and limb they face at sea. Under the law, U.S. seamen who are injured on the job can collect damages from ship owners, the ship captain or other crew members based on claims of unseaworthiness or negligence.

For more than 20 years Parker Waichman Alonso LLP has helped maritime injury victims obtain money for their injuries. Our goal is to help you and your family get your lives back on track with the financial security that you need. Please fill out our online form or call 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636) for help with your case. We handle maritime law claims from port cities along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, including  New York, Philadelphia, Wilmington DE, Baltimore, Norfolk, Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville FL, Fort Lauderdale FL and Miami.

The Jones Act, also known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, applies when a seaman, while working aboard a ship or vessel, is injured in the course of his or her employment on a navigable waterway. The law defines seaman broadly. Workers who are covered by the Jones Act include inland river workers and offshore workers who work on a jack-up rig, semi-submersible rig, barge, drill ship, tugboat, tow boat, crew boat, dredge, cargo ship, fishing vessel or other moveable vessel.

Under the Jones Act, an injured seaman can file claims for:

• Maintenance and cure —  (wage replacement and medical care);
•  Damages due to negligence;
• unseaworthiness.
  
  

Seamen can file a claim if they can prove negligence or fault on the part of the vessel’s owners, operators or fellow employees. Mariners may also have a claim if they are injured because of a defect in the ship or its gear, making the ship unseaworthy. For example, the lack of a safety cable or other equipment can render a ship unseaworthy. A lack of maintenance that causes equipment to fail or malfunction also may support a claim of unseaworthiness.

If you or a loved one was injured through the negligence of others while working on the water, you may have a legal claim and should consult an attorney knowledgeable about maritime law. The Jones Act lawyers at Parker Waichman Alonso LLP have the expertise to handle maritime law claims at port cities up and down the Eastern Seaboard.

A Jones Act lawsuit must be filed within strict time limits so it’s important to contact a lawyer promptly to protect your legal rights. You’ve already taken the first step by finding YourMaritimeLawyer.com. Now, give us a call at 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636) or fill out our online form, so the maritime law attorneys at Parker Waichman Alonso LLP can put their maritime and admiralty law experience to work for you.