Injured Seamen / Jones Act Claims
San Jose, California Jones Act Attorneys
Injured seamen, longshoremen and maritime workers are eligible for benefits under the terms of the Jones Act. In order to qualify for benefits, a seaman or maritime worker must be injured while working in service to a ship in navigable waters. This means injuries that occur offshore, as well as those that occur on land, are covered if they involve work injuries related to ship duties and tasks.
While the Jones Act covers work-related injuries, it also allows injured seamen and maritime workers to recover additional damages for pain and suffering when a ship's owner or operator was negligent. At the law office of Shea & Shea, our attorneys have the resources needed to investigate maritime accidents and expose negligence and safety violations that cause serious injuries to workers on tankers, freighters, rigs, barges, platforms and seagoing vessels.
If you have been injured while at sea or onshore in work related to a ship or cargo vessel you work on, contact the Jones Act lawyers at Shea & Shea and schedule a free consultation to learn how we can help you and protect your job.
The Benefits You are Entitled to Under the Jones Act
Regardless of whether your injuries were the result of negligence on the part of your employer, you are eligible to receive the following benefits under the terms of the Jones Act:
- Maintenance: An injured maritime worker is eligible to receive a daily allowance equal in amount of money to what it would have cost to feed and shelter that employee had he or she not been injured at all.
- Cure: A ship's owner or operator is required to pay an injured worker's medical expenses until he or she has recovered a maximum amount of health. These costs could include expenses for all or some of the following:
- Transportation (ambulance, helicopter airlift)
- Emergency room treatment
- Surgery
- Prescription drugs
- Medical equipment
- Physical therapy
When Employers are Guilty of Negligence and Safety Violations
When a ship is in disrepair or when safety violations, poor training, or other issues create hazards on board, it is considered "unseaworthy." This does not mean that it is unable to sail or function; rather, it refers to dangerous and hazardous conditions brought about by a ship's owner or operator.
If your injuries were the result of negligence on the part of your employer, you may be able to recover compensation for pain and suffering and additional damages beyond what you are eligible to receive for maintenance and cure. Our attorneys consult investigators and work with maritime safety experts in exposing gross negligence on the part of employers. We interview other ship workers and demand nothing less than fair compensation for our client's injuries.
Why It's Important to Contact a Lawyer
Not all shipping companies or maritime employers are completely honest with their employees. Especially when negligence and "unseaworthiness" are involved, an employer may tell an injured seaman he or she has to be treated by a company- approved doctor. Or, an injured maritime worker may be asked to sign a report involving the accident that completely absolves the company of liability and wrongdoing.
As your legal representation, our attorneys protect your rights and intervene on your behalf with your employer. We won't let you sign anything that could impact your ability to recover damages later. And, we won't let your employer mislead you into thinking you have to see a doctor they approve. We work hard to ensure you receive the benefits, rights, and protections guaranteed you under the law.
Contact Jones Act Attorneys Shea & Shea Today
To schedule a free consultation to discuss your case, contact the Jones Act lawyers Shea & Shea today.