Hurt at sea? Gulf of Mexico seamen may be able to claim damages under Jones Act Law

If you are a seaman and are hurt at sea, your injuries full under the jurisdiction of federal maritime law. Maritime law and Jones Act Law provide compensation to injured maritime workers. However, the Jones Act is a fault-based system. To receive benefits under Jones Act Law, you must be able to prove that your injuries were caused by negligence. If you can prove that your injuries were caused by negligence, you may recover damages for:

• Past and future medical expenses

• Nursing services

• Therapy bills

• Pain and suffering

• Physical and psychological damages

• Loss of enjoyment of life

• Past and future lost wages

• Lost earning capacity

• Vocational retraining

There are many ways of proving negligence in a Jones Act case. Some common examples of acts of negligence under the Jones Act include:

• Failure to provide and maintain reasonably safe equipment and appliances

• Failure to maintain proper safety precautions

• Failure to provide adequate safety training

• Failure to provide adequate safety equipment

• Failure to provide appropriate medical care

• Failure to protect crewmembers from foreseeable injury

• Failure to warn of known hazards

• Failure to post warning labels on hazardous equipment or chemicals

• Negligent hiring or failure to exercise due care in selecting a competent master and crew

• Assigning inexperienced crew member to operate equipment

• Inadequate supervision

• Assault by fellow crew member

• Dangerous or unsafe work

• Requiring excessive overtime

• Failure to avoid dangerous weather, requiring workers to work in dangerous weather conditions

• Failure to consider a seaman’s physical limitations in assigning duties

• Unseaworthiness

If you think negligence may have caused your offshore injury accident, contact the New Orleans office of The Young Firm. Our Louisiana maritime law attorneys have helped injured seamen with their Jones Act claims for over 50 years. Call 866-938-6113 to schedule a free legal consultation. We can help you to prove negligence and get the Jones Act compensation that you deserve.

To learn more, request our free guide: Employee’s Guide to Maritime Injury Law.

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