If you are injured by an equipment malfunction while on the deck of a Jones Act fleetvessel, hurt on a serious dive accident while you were in the service of a Jones Act vessel, or injured while working on a ship that required the assistance of the Coast Guard, a lawyer may be able to win compensatory damages for you through a general maritime and Jones Act claim.
The owner of a Jones Act fleet vessel can be held liable for injuries that were the result of faulty equipment and/or machinery. Under the Jones Act, injured seamen have a “featherweight” burden of proof – once you demonstrate that the negligence affected you and led to your injury in a contributable way, you are eligible for damages.
These damages typically include compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and in some cases, punitive damages against the vessel owner if the ship was “unseaworthy,” which is sometimes the case in accidents that involve faulty or defective equipment.
If you are injured in the midst of a dive accident while you are working for a Jones Act vessel, and an equipment malfunction contributes to an injury or accident that gives rise to injury, you can recover damages from the vessel owner.
In some cases, equipment malfunctions can even be severe enough to require the assistance of the Coast Guard. A lawyer will be able to give you more information in a no-cost consultation about the specific details of your accident.
Contact an Attorney About a Dive Accident in Service of a Jones Act Fleet
Maritime law provides you with certain protections your employer may not want you to know about. Just like ocean accidents require the attention of a federal body, the Coast Guard, a lawyer who argues maritime accident cases works with federal laws. A maritime law attorney from The Young Firm in New Orleans, Louisiana, can help you if you have suffered boating accident injuries, an offshore accident or other injuries that fall under maritime law or the Jones Act. Though we are based in Louisiana, we are ready and able to help injured victims throughout the U.S. Order our free Maritime Injury Law guide and/or our guide to what to do when you are injured offshore to learn all about your rights as an injured worker.
When you are ready to get started with your Jones Act injury case, we urge you to contact us today for a FREE case evaluation – call tollfree at 866-703-2590.
