What Is the Jones Act?

Our Houston Jones Act Lawyers Explain This Important Law

If you were hurt aboard a rig, barge, tugboat, tanker ship or any other vessel, 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, crewmen and some other maritime workers, including the following:

• The right to make a claim for lost wages, maintenance and cure
• The right to file a claim or lawsuit against a negligent employer or third party
• The right to file a seaworthiness claim if improper vessel maintenance caused the accidental injury
• The right to visit a doctor of your choosing and receive a second opinion

The Jones Act covers crewmen who are injured or die through the negligence of their employers aboard vessels in navigable waters at sea or rivers, lakes, bays, bayous, sounds, or any other waterway. Unfortunately, not all accidents aboard floating vessels are covered by the Jones Act. 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
• Past and future medical expenses
• Past and future pain and suffering (physical and psychological)
• Necessary vocational rehabilitation and occupational retraining
• Lost earning capacity for seamen who have a limited ability to work due to a serious injury

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)597-3836 to schedule a free, confidential consultation with an experienced trial attorney at the Texas law firm of Stevenson & Murray.