When you are injured at sea, you may need a work injury lawyer to get a better idea of what benefits you are entitled to. As a maritime attorney, Irwin Law Firm in Fort Lauderdale knows that you should not have to suffer without additional assistance if you are injured while on the job aboard a vessel. That is why we are seeking to inform seamen so that they can be prepared to demand what is rightfully theirs. Contact us to learn more.
Learn More About the Jones Act
Under the Jones Act, sailors are entitled certain compensation and benefits. Many sailors and seamen believe that they are not afforded the same rights and compensation that landbound workers are given, but they actually have their own particular set of rules that guide what their compensation will be like.
The Jones Act, which is also known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, gives seamen a way to recover from the losses and injuries that they may suffer while working on a vessel that is at sea. To gather compensation under this act, you must typically be able to show that the crew, captain, or ship owner performed some kind of negligence that resulted in your injury.
Alternatively, you may have to prove that unseaworthy conditions of the vessel itself caused you harm. Once you are able to prove this, you will be able to seek recompense for past and future lost wages, as well medical bills related to the accident, pain and suffering from the accident, and loss of life as normal.
Unlike landbound workers, mariners’ equivalent for workers compensation is called maintenance and cure benefits. These particular rights do not come from the Jones Act, however, but instead the general maritime law. Similar to workers’ compensation, you do not have to prove fault in order to receive it. In terms of cure benefits, mariners can get reimbursed for healthcare bills that came from working on the vessel. For maintenance benefits, this is typically talking about payments to make up for the fact that the worker in question is not able to generate income any longer due to incapacity. These payments are meant to continue until the individual is no longer incapacitated and is completely healthy. Usually, these benefits additionally cover housing, food, transportation, and utilities.
Do You Need a Work Injury Lawyer?
As a seaman, you are entitled to compensation if you are in an accident while on the job, and it is the responsibility of your employer to assist you, not to deny you the compensation you seek to feel better. If you are unable to utilize your benefits, you need a maritime attorney to assist you. Irwin Law Firm in Fort Lauderdale can be this attorney.
Contact Us
Irwin Law Firm in Fort Lauderdale is the work injury lawyer you need to help you with your seamen’s claims. As a maritime attorney, we know what it takes to make sure that you have your rights respected and we can help you get the results that you need. Contact us to learn more.