What Is the Jones Act?

Our Houston Jones Act Lawyers Explain This Important Law

Were you hurt aboard a rig, barge, tugboat, tanker ship or any other vesse? You might have rights as a seaman under the Jones Act. The Jones Act is a federal maritime law that grants specific rights to injured seamen. It also covers crewmen and other maritime workers, including the following rights to:

• Make a claim for lost wages, maintenance and cure
• File a claim or lawsuit against a negligent employer or third party
• Visit a doctor of your choosing and receive a second opinion
• File a seaworthiness claim if improper vessel maintenance caused the accidental injury

If an employer’s negligence aboard a vessel in navigable waters leads to the injury or death of crewmen, The Jones Act covers those crewmembers. This is true even if the vessel is at sea or in rivers, lakes, bays, bayous, sounds, or any other waterway. Unfortunately, The Jones Act does not cover all accidents aboard floating vessels. To find out if you have a case, please contact the knowledgeable attorneys at the Houston law firm of Stevenson & Murray. Your consultation and case evaluation will be free and completely confidential.

Jones Act and Longshoremen Claims

Stevenson & Murray also handles claims against third parties other than the employer for those who may be covered under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA). While many employees injured aboard a vessel—the captain, first mate, deckhands, engineers, wipers, and even cooks and housekeepers—may have a claim under the Jones Act, others may need experienced legal help to find other sources of compensation and benefits, such as LHWCA claims for qualified maritime workers or state workers’ compensation benefits.

Damages Recoverable Under the Jones Act Include:

• Past and future lost wages
• Necessary vocational rehabilitation and occupational retraining
• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost earning capacity for seamen who have a limited ability to work due to a serious injury
• Past and future pain and suffering (physical and psychological)

Call Our Houston Jones Act Lawyers for a Free Consultation

To learn more about the Jones Act and other maritime and admiralty laws that may offer real hope for recovery in your maritime accident and injury case, call our home offices in Houston (713) 622-3223 to schedule a free, confidential consultation with an experienced trial attorney at the Texas law firm of Stevenson & Murray.