Longshore Act Extensions
More on Maritime Injury Claims
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If You’re Hurt as a Crew Member on a Vessel, You Have Special Rights
If you work on a vessel or ship in navigable water and you’re hurt on the job, you may be able to get greater compensation than most injured workers.
Your job is covered by a federal law, called the Jones Act, which goes beyond workers’ compensation programs.
This protection is specifically for crew members aboard vessels.
After a maritime injury disrupts your life, a Jones Act claim can put you on solid financial ground.
People who work at ports and harbors around ships—but not on the ships while they’re in transit—get different benefits under the Longshore & Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act.
The Jones Act provides a rare path for injured maritime workers to pursue personal injury claims against their employers.
At Workers Compensation, LLC, we can connect you with the legal representation you need to make this kind of claim and build a better future.
We help people in Metairie, New Orleans, Hammond, the Northshore, Baton Rouge, Houma, Lafayette, Alexandria, Shreveport, Monroe, or anywhere else in Louisiana.
Workers’ Comp Is What We Do.
Does My Maritime Injury Qualify Me for a Claim under the Jones Act?
Getting compensation for a work injury under the Jones Act requires your job to be based on a ship, boat, or other waterborne vessel.
Federal law says you must be a “seaman,” which means:
- Your employment was largely based on the vessel where you were injured.
- When you were hurt, the vessel was in navigation.
- You didn’t have to be navigating or piloting, but you must have had a job that contributed to the vessel’s functions.
In addition to proving that you are officially a “seaman” for a Jones Act claim, you’ll also need to show you were on the right kind of vessel.
That can include many things, including fishing boats, floating rigs, barges, and even riverboat casinos.
And, then, unlike a typical workers’ comp claim, you’ll need to prove that negligence of your employer led to your accident. Regular workers’ comp doesn’t factor in negligence.
You’ll present evidence that your employer failed to provide safe working conditions, equipment, and training.
Make sure you and your family are taken care of financially after you’re hurt doing your job.
To see whether you have a Jones Act claim, get in touch with the legal team at Workers’ Compensation, LLC.
What Types of Compensation Can You Get with a Jones Act Claim?
When you make a maritime injury workers’ compensation claim under the Jones Act, you could be paid for:
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Medical costs, past and future
- Pain, suffering, and mental health harm
The fact that you could get compensation for your pain and suffering is a big difference between a Jones Act claim and a workers’ comp claim.
Workers’ comp doesn’t include pain and suffering. Determining the dollar cost of your pain and suffering is a complicated legal process that’s part of personal injury law, not workers comp.
Your case is unique to you, and the compensation you get will depend on the facts of your particular situation.
But you should know this: because it’s a personal injury claim, a Jones Act claim can be a valuable way to secure a better life after an injury on the water.