Jones Act Attorney

Looking After the Sea Workers

Different areas of the law are in place to protect the labor force. As new jobs are created and our technology continues to become more advanced, our legal system needs to also evolve right along with it. When it comes to sea workers, this has happened. The United States has modified our legal system in order to protect their rights and interests. Enter the Jones Act of 1970.

Maritime law has been around for centuries. This is due to the fact that the United States has been conducting business on the seas for centuries. Since the amount of business conducted at sea has increased, the laws that pertain to this area of business would need to be extended. In the early 70s the United States Congress recognized this need and thus passed what is referred today as the Jones Act. It was this legislation that guaranteed sea workers a certain degree of protection. All parties can agree that people who sign up to become a sea worker knows and understands what health risks are involved in these jobs, but at the same time, employers and ship owners should still be liable for the overall safety of their staff and crew along with the level of seaworthiness of their vessels.

The Jones Act is a set of very detailed, very complicated set of rules and regulations. The Act spells out what to do in multiple given scenarios. This legislation takes into account certain issues such as jurisdiction, vessel location, nationality of the crew and so on.

With such a system in place, one would think the number of injuries would be much fewer. Yet, there are numerous injuries cases filed all over the country each month. Sea workers are still being injured some of which result in a fatality.

There are Jones Act attorneys that can advise you on what to do next if you have been injured while working on a job at sea. At Williams Kherkher, the Jones Act attorney will sit down with a new client and learn more about their background, events that lead up to the injury and current situation. At this meeting, the Jones Act attorney will then be able to give you an idea of what needs to be done and what possible compensation you will be able to seek. Contact Williams Kherkher and schedule this free consultation. Be sure to request a Jones Act attorney.