How To Find Jones Act Attorneys & Lawyers
The Jones Act is also known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, the U.S. Federal statute regulating maritime commerce within U.S. waters and U.S. ports. The purpose of the Jones Act is to support the U.S. merchant marine industry. It requires that all goods transported between U.S. ports be transported on U.S. flagged ships built in the U.S., owned by and crewed by U.S. citizens. The Jones Act also includes protections for injured sailors and crew that are not provided by common international maritime law. An injured party can bring legal actions against ship owners based on claims of unseaworthiness or negligence. Before the Jones Act was passed, sailors who were injured on the job did not have much in the way to recover damages or get assistance. Working at sea has inherent dangers and trained seamen are valuable so the Jones Act was enacted to provide benefits for sailors.
Any sailor injured at sea is entitled to maintenance and cure. The employer must pay the sailor a daily stipend and provide medical care to treat the injury. In addition, if their injuries were caused by negligence on the part of the ship’s owners or other crew members, or if they sailed on unseaworthy vessels then sailors can also sue for damages. In the event that a sailor is killed on the job, then damages can include death benefits.
Anyone who spends at least 30% of his or her time in active service on a Merchant Marine vessel can qualify for Jones Act benefits. This applies to all staff on board ship – including the ship’s Captain. It is important to find a skilled attorney because the benefits provided by the Jones Act can be significantly higher than benefits for workers on land.
