Maritime Law Lawyers & Attorneys

The sea can be a very dangerous place to work. Ships, barges, rigs, and other sea faring vessels share a high risk of causing on the job injuries. Even though rights to medical care for seaman have been around for centuries through Admiralty Law and Maritime Law, remedies against employers due to injured seaman have been inconsistent and variable. The Jones Act, specifically the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, was created to formalize the rights of seaman and provide workers with an opportunity to obtain damages if their employer is at fault.

Most employed workers today (by land) are given specific rights to remedy through workers compensation, providing an economic safety net for employees. Workers compensation typically provides for payments in place of wage, compensation for economic loss (past and future), and reimbursement for medical expenses. These benefits are available even if the worker is 100 at fault, but if the employer is at fault or negligent, damages are typically not available.

Maritime Law - An Overview and "How To" of the Claim's Process

Personal injury cases under the Jones Act are handled through a trial by jury, and apply the legal doctrine of "comparative negligence", whereby the jury determines what the damages are, and how much is allocated to each party. This is important because even if the injured party is found more than 50 negligent, they are still awarded that portion of monetary damages.

Maritime Lawyers & Attorneys

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