Jones Act Claims Attorneys in Paducah
Pursuing Your Entitled Benefits After River Injuries
The Merchant Marine Act of 1920, more commonly known as the Jones Act, is a federal law that addresses maritime commercial activity in the United States. While the Jones Act covers many aspects of maritime commercial activity, one of its roles is to protect people who work on the water. These workers have traditionally been called seamen. It offers recourse for mates, deckhands, leadmen, captains, pilots, masters, engineers, cooks, and others who have been injured working on a towboat, tugboat, barge, work flat, or ship.
This includes employees who make their living on the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, and other inland rivers. If you’ve been injured in a river-related accident, you can count on our Jones Act claims attorneys in Paducah to help you file your claim and pursue your entitled benefits and damages. Katz Law works for river workers in our community and throughout the region and country. Brian S. Katz has been recognized as a Super Lawyer in the area of Transportation/Maritime, a testament to his skill, ability, and experience in this area of law.
Contact us online or by phone at (270) 778-5110 to receive dedicated service regarding your river-related injury case. The sooner you call, the sooner we can get started.
Is the Jones Act a Form of Workers’ Comp?
Many people consider the Jones Act a type of workers’ compensation. It does offer benefits to injured workers. However, the mechanisms it uses to provide those benefits and the types of benefits provided are dramatically different than those under workers’ compensation law. Injured river workers have unique rights that may not apply to other lines of work.
Most importantly, the Jones Act allows a seaman to sue his employer and recover full tort damages for his employer’s negligence. This is a dramatic departure from land-based claims, where an employer is immune from suit from its employees in exchange for providing workers’ compensation coverage.
Contact us online or by phone at (270) 778-5110 to get started on your case today. Initial consultations are free.