Maritime Accidents and Jones Act
At the Shelton Law Firm, we devote a significant portion of our practice to the area of maritime accidents. If you are a maritime worker and have been injured on the job, your ability to support yourself and your family is at stake. An experienced attorney can provide trusted advice, advocate for you, and help you recover the compensation you need and deserve so that you can recover from your injury and move forward with your life.
The Jones Act
Federal laws such as the Jones Act allow maritime workers to sue their employers when they have been injured at sea due to the employer's negligence. The Act applies to workers on all types of maritime vessels, including boats, ships, barges, tugboats, cruise ships, tour boats, fishing vessels, drilling vessels, and ferries.
If a maritime worker successfully proves a claim for negligence, he or she is entitled to recover compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, lost future earning capacity, physical therapy, retraining costs, pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life.
The "seaworthiness" standard
Under federal law, all ships in operation must be seaworthy, meaning they must be safe to be used for their intended purpose. This standard allows an injured maritime worker to sue his employer under a strict liability theory, meaning that the worker doesnot need to show that his employer knew the ship was unsafe. Rather, the worker only needs to show that the ship was in fact unsafe and he or she was injured as a result.
A ship may be considered unseaworthy if any of the following conditions exist:
- Inadequate or missing safety equipment, including lifesaving equipment
- Failure to comply with safety regulations
- Undermanned boat or insufficient supervision
- Defective boat design
- Dangerous, defective, or insufficient tools or equipment
- Insufficient or improperly trained crewmembers
- Unreasonably slippery or obstructed decks
Seek experienced legal counsel
If you have been injured in an accident while employed at sea, seek the advice of a trusted and experienced legal advocate. At the Shelton Law Firm, we have been successfully advocating for maritime workers for over 35 years. Whether you are in Texas, Louisiana, or anywhere in the United States, contact us today for a free initial consultation.
