Jones Act Lawyers

The Jones Act's History and Coverage

A major component in the development of the economy of the United States involves sea-faring vessels. Ships have long been responsible for the importing and exporting of goods, for discovering and using the natural resources the sea provides and for maintaining a large number of jobs and investment in the gross domestic product.

However, sea-faring jobs are also quite dangerous relative to many other occupations. Several problems can arise while at sea, including the development of storms and problems with the ships that carry employees across the bodies of water both in and around the U.S. Generally, injuries suffered while working at sea are more serious than other workplace injuries, mostly due to the fact that these injuries can occur while miles away from the nearest medical care.

As a result, Congress passed a maritime law in 1920 known as the Jones Act. This law was the first of its kind in American history, and it attempted to deal with the often highly-complicated matters of workplace injuries suffered at sea. Until the Jones Act was passed, injured parties depended on several precedent-setting cases established in U.S. courtrooms and informal sea-faring traditions that were used by countries around the world.

The Jones Act's Provisions

The Jones Act is an extremely complicated statute that governs all sea-faring workplace injuries that fall within the jurisdiction of the U.S. In general, this statute provided for:

• Remedies for seamen who were injured at sea;
• Additional remedies for negligence on the part of the employer;
• Solutions for vessels proved to be "unseaworthy."

Overall, the Jones Act established evidentiary standards that must be met or surpassed in order for liability to attach to the defendant as well as specific standards and damages to be paid to the injured party while he or she recovers from his or her injuries. There were several motivating factors behind the passing of this statute:

• Injured seamen were generally unable to work until their injuries healed;
• There were no clear-cut standards in place until the Jones Act was passed;
• Congress wanted to institute higher standards of safety for employers.

What this Means for You

The Jones Act is in place to help you if you have been injured while working at sea. If this describes your situation, you not only need to seek medical attention, but you also need to contact the Jones Act lawyers at Williams Kherkher for a free initial consultation.