Each year, brave Americans who work aboard maritime vessels or offshore oil rigs face injury and even death on the job. Indeed, some pay the ultimate price. When such tragedies erupt, it’s time for others to pay. It’s time for a negligent captain, crew or owner to pay the victim or his or her family for their mistakes in a maritime accident.

But how can this happen? Isn’t the legal system weighted against the “little” guy and in favor of big business or ship owners?

No — not when it comes to these cases. That’s because seamen and others who work on U.S. territorial waters, including the Gulf Coast of Texas, Louisiana and other states, have special protections under maritime or admiralty law. And what is the key marine law? It’s the Merchant Marine Act of 1920.

Actually, this maritime law is better known as the Jones Act.

What is the Jones Act? What is Jones Act law?

The maritime law is so named after Sen. Wesley Jones of Washington state, who wrote it. Due to his foresight, injured seamen ever since have had a legal right to seek fair and just financial compensation for injuries they suffered because of others’ negligence, or because a vessel was not seaworthy.

Such injuries may be because a ship had faulty equipment on board. They may be because safety procedures on a vessel were inadequate. They may be because the working environment itself was unsafe. Indeed, many things can cause catastrophic accident injuries on the water or near it, involving many vessels or platforms and many forms of equipment.

These can include tug boats, supply boats, water taxis, ferries, shrimp boats, trawlers, riverboats, barges, tankers, semisubmersible vessels, drill ships, jack-up rigs, oil rigs, cranes and winches. Also, workers who are hurt or killed while being transported to or from an offshore oil rig have protections under the Jones Act.

Claiming such protections must start with an experienced and knowledgeable Jones Act attorney or maritime lawyer. This maritime lawyer should know the complexities of maritime law and Jones Act cases in order to help injured seamen or their families choose the best course of action.

It’s vital to engage a Texas Jones Act attorney or maritime lawyer promptly. For one thing, an employer may offer a quick settlement which may be far less than what the injured seaman should receive. A Jones Act marine attorney or maritime lawyer can protect clients from accepting a hasty — and inadequate — settlement.

Also, an injured seaman, sailor or worker on U.S. territorial waters has just three years from the time of the injury to file a claim. After that, the maritime law’s protections won’t apply.

How do you know if Jones Act protections apply to you in the first place? Again, the answer is to engage a knowledgeable Texas Jones Act lawyer or maritime lawyer on your behalf.

Your marine lawyer or Jones Act attorney can determine whether or not you qualify for protection under the maritime law known as the Jones Act. For instance, you must spend at least 30 per cent of your total work time on a vessel in order to qualify. But that’s just one facet of your case. A maritime lawyer should know the rest.

Now, where do you find an experienced Texas Jones Act lawyer or maritime attorney? You’ve done so already.  By visiting this website, you’ve found the veteran personal injury law firm of Jim S. Adler & Associates.

For more than three decades, thousands of injured persons have placed their trust in the Adler law firm to get the legal protection they deserved. Also, injured seamen, sailors or maritime workers should know this: The Adler law firm specializes in cases for those living along the Gulf Coast.

Where do you begin? It’s simple. Just fill out and send in the free case review form on this page. Or call us toll-free at 1-800-566-3434. Either way, an Adler legal representative will respond promptly to help you with your Jones Act injury case.

Injured maritime workers or seamen deserve respect. They deserve what is right under maritime law.

They deserve the skilled Jones Act attorney or maritime lawyer which Jim S. Adler & Associates can provide.