Damages through Jones Act Insurance You May Not Know About (Part A)
The Jones Act insurance your employer may carry provides you with a method of obtaining damages for your injuries in a serious offshore accident. While some of the damages you can seek are obvious - lost wages, medical expenses - there are many types of compensation available to you under Jones Act coverage that your employer may not tell you about – but a Jones Act Lawyer will.
Basic Damages in a Jones Act Insurance Claim
Your main concerns for your financial well-being after a serious injury offshore will most likely be your income and your medical expenses.
From the moment of your injury to the point where you are either considered permanently disabled or have recovered enough to return to work, you are losing out on your regular wages. Jones Act coverage provides you with compensation for this loss, but only if you file a claim with your employer.
Medical expenses are also part of your Jones Act coverage, but are often lacking in certain types of coverage. For example, you’ll probably never see a bill for on-board medical treatment, but you may get one from an on-shore physical therapist you see for rehabilitation. These medical expenses, if incurred due to your offshore accident, should be covered by your Jones Act insurance.
Pain and suffering damages are sometimes present in a Jones Act claim settlement, but not always. In many cases, you will need a Jones Act lawyer to help you argue for these damages, as the Jones Act insurance companies rarely offer them without demand from the seaman.
Learning about Additional Damages in a Jones Act Insurance Claim
Your employer isn’t always interested in explaining the full rights and benefits you have when filing a claim for Jones Act coverage. In fact, the less you are aware of what you are entitled to, the better off they are, so it’s not uncommon for an employer to gloss over details of your compensation.
A Jones Act lawyer can help give you the real facts about your claim and explain the full types of benefits you can seek under Jones Act coverage. Continue reading to learn about some of the lesser-known benefits from Jones Act insurance.
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