Maritime Jones Act

Maritime employees, including those who work on cruise ships, cargo ships, barges, commercial fishing boats, and certain other maritime workers, are protected by specific maritime laws if they ever suffer injuries sustained while on the sea. Injured workers may be able to seek recovery for lost wages, medical expenses, and other living expenses by filing personal injury claims under the Jones Act. If you’ve been in a serious maritime accident potentially caused by the negligence of your maritime employers or co-workers, you must discuss your options for filing personal injury lawsuits with experienced California Jones Act lawyers. Under California law, most injured workers are barred from filing personal injury lawsuits against their employers. Instead, they are expected to pursue financial recovery through a workers’ compensation claim. The Jones Act differs from workers’ compensation claims in allowing injured workers to sue negligent employers and hold them liable for damages. Formerly known as the Merchant Marine Act, the Jones Act is a federal statute designed to protect American maritime employees. The act grants injured seamen who sustain maritime injuries while working at sea the ability to sue at-fault parties for negligence. To take legal action under the Jones Act, the injured worker must qualify as a seaman, as defined by the law. Typically, this means the injured party must have spent at least 30% of their time working on a vessel operating in navigable waters. The Jones Act covers maritime cases and serious accidents, including inadequate safety measures, defective equipment, slips and falls, and other personal injury claims.