Spring Jones Act Lawyer

People who work at sea perform work that is vital to the state’s economy. However, they also expose themselves to a higher degree of risk than most other workers due to the nature of their jobs and the fact that they are on unstable waters.

If you or your loved one experienced an injury due to your maritime job, you might be able to collect compensation under the Jones Act. One of our Spring Jones Act lawyers could guide you through the legal process and keep you informed throughout each stage of a lawsuit.

What is the Jones Act?

The Merchant Marine Act of 1920, and specifically the section known as the Jones Act, is a federal law that provides certain people who work at sea with statutory protection in the event of a work-related accident. The Jones Acts grants seafaring workers the right to pursue a civil lawsuit against their employers if they experience an on-the-job injury. Personal representatives of deceased maritime workers are also eligible to pursue wrongful death claims.

Because the Jones Act exists to deliver special protections to maritime workers, the burden of proof is lower for proving negligence. Unlike with most other forms of civil suits, to prevail in a legal claim under the Jones Act, an injured maritime worker must only show that the employer’s negligence contributed to their accident. The employer’s negligence does not need to be the sole cause or even the largest cause of the injury. An employer could be liable under the Jones Act even if their negligence was only a minor contributing factor to the accident.

A skilled work accident attorney could help look for evidence of the employer’s negligence by critically examining the facts of the incident. They could look at whether the vessel had any unsafe or dangerous conditions that could have contributed to the injury, and whether the employer should have identified or rectified them.

Who Does the Jones Act Cover?

The Jones Act covers merchant seamen who spend at least 30 percent on their working hours on the water. Normally, the protections under the Jones Act cover crew members of a vessel and can include the following:

• Captains
• Deckhands
• Divers
• Drillers
• Engineers
• Cooks
• Commercial fishermen
• Ship’s mates
• Stewards
• Pilots
• Chiefs
• Radio electronics officers
• Electricians
• Bosuns

To qualify for protection under the Jones Act, the maritime worker must experience an injury on a vessel that an American-based company or United States citizen owns. This often takes the form of a slip and fall, chemical exposure, or a catastrophic injury like a TBI.

What Kinds of Vessels Does the Jones Act Cover?

The Jones Act covers injuries that occur on all different sorts of watercrafts, including the following:

• Cargo ships
• Ferries
• Commercial fishing boats
• Barges
• Cruise ships
• Vessels that service or provide supplies
• Drilling ships
• Freighters

The vessel must operate in navigable waters, and it must transport cargo or people. Determining whether an injured maritime worker qualifies for protection under the Jones Act can be difficult, which is why working with an experienced Spring, TX  attorney is critical.

Contact a Spring Jones Act Attorney to Discuss Potential Compensation

Working on a maritime vessel can be a dangerous job. If you believe you experienced harm because your employer failed to provide you with reasonably safe working conditions, you deserve the chance to pursue the compensation you need under the Jones Act.

Contact a qualified Spring Jones Act lawyer who is familiar with the laws applicable to maritime workers and could work tirelessly to get you the help you need. Our personal injury law firm is only a phone call away.