Who is a jones act lawyer?

By Kevin Counts


The Jones Act is also known as the Merchant Marine Act (of 1920). This is a federal statute of the U.S, which regulates the United States maritime commerce in the waters of the U.S and between its ports.

Jones Act Attorney

A Jones Act attorney is the one who has a wide knowledge in admiralty and maritime law and experience in handling cases related to cruise ship injury, improper termination, mistreatment and other factors that involve a seaman. This attorney will aid the seaman in the process of claiming compensation from a cruise line for all their negligence.

A Jones Act lawyer can effectively handle every one of the circumstances which have been related to the following components.

The Jones Act - This act allows a crew member to claim compensation against the cruise line for suffering injuries that occurred due to the carelessness of the other crew members (captain, sailors, divers, etc.) or their employers.

The crew member also has the right to state that the vessel is worthy and can file a lawsuit against the owner of the ship. The main point behind this factor is to have a safe environment on a cruise. The owner of the ship must ensure that proper maintenance, precautions and repair works are done. A seaman can claim monetary damages from the owner of the ship in case of an injury due to the vessel being worthy.

Inadequate and improper medical care - Improper care or therapy, unqualified doctors, inadequate medical equipment's, inadequate medicines, improper arrangements and wrong diagnosis.

Improper upkeep and cure - This deals together with the medical care offered to an injured seaman. This care should be offered totally free of cost and till he reaches the limit of maximum medical cure.

Suitable servicing which might be necessary in the course of his injury should also be supplied.

Improper retaliatory discharge - Firing a crew member for reporting on environmental safety, lying about an injury or refusing to work overtime.

Physical or sexual harassment - Sexually or physically assaulted by other crew members or the owner with the ship.

Improper penalty wages doctrine - All the promised wages should be paid promptly, if not the seaman can claim for the penalty wages.

Claiming for compensation from a cruise line is not an easy task. It requires a fully focused and knowledgeable Jones Act lawyer to handle the case in the best way.

A Jones Act attorney will have a wide knowledge on the admiralty and maritime law.

The lawyer will analyze the many facts involved with all the case to be able to offer a truthful feedback and to direct the case inside the proper path.

Their wide thinking and examining even the minute details related to the case final results in attaining the goal.

Who are Jones Act seamen?

People who work aboard any vessel that navigates on waters are said to be Jones Act seaman. The person must be employed to contribute towards the work on the ship. Workers who prepare the ship for future trips while it is anchored also come under this act. A seaman need not be the person who navigates the vessel but can be involved with other works such as an entertainer, night watchman, tugboat cook or a fishing boats' fish processor, etc.




About the Author: