The Jones Act-Protecting the Rights of Seamen

Posted by: rzehl
February 19, 2009
Topic: The Jones Act

Under the Jones Act, seamen are considered wards of the admiralty court. This favored standing means that those individuals who meet the requirements and qualify as seamen injured in the service of their vessel are entitled to substantial benefits under the Act. The Jones Act and general maritime law provide maintenance and cure to any injured seaman. In addition, injured seamen can bring actions for negligence and/or unseaworthiness against the vessel owner, their employer or a responsible third party. Under the Jones Act, both the causation and negligence standards are relaxed. Essentially, an unseaworthy vessel that causes an injury results in almost strict liability for the vessel owner.

Navigating the complexities of the Jones Act can be very difficult for even a seasoned attorney. Don’t trust your case to just anyone; contact the experienced Jones Act attorneys at the Fitts Zehl Law Firm by phone at (713) 491-6064 or by email at info@gulfcoastmaritimelawyer.com. We aggressively represent Jones Act injury clients from every corner of the Gulf Coast region including Port Aransas, Houston, New Orleans and Houma.

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