The Jones Act

Table of Contents

• OVERVIEW
• I. IN GENERAL
• A. General Principles
• B. Relationship to Other Available Remedies
• 1. Traditional Maritime Remedies
• 2. Remedies Provided by Federal Statute
• 3. Remedies Provided by State or Territorial Law
• C. Applicability to Foreign Ships, Seamen, and Occurrences
• 1. In General
• 2. Place of Injury
• 3. Nationality or Ownership of Vessel
• a. In General
• b. Foreign Ownership
• c. Foreign Flag Vessels Owned or Operated by American Interests
• 4. Nationality of Seaman
• 5. Other Factors
• II. PERSONS ENTITLED TO RECOVER
• A. Seamen
• 1. General Principles
• a. In General
• b. Tests for Determining Status as Seaman
• 2. Employed on "Vessel in Navigation"
• a. In General
• b. Status of Vessel
• c. Particular Vessels
• 3. Particular Persons as Seamen
• B. Representatives or Beneficiaries of Seamen
• III. EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP
• A. In General
• B. Particular Persons or Entities as Employers
• C. Injury as Sustained in Course of Employment
• IV. NEGLIGENCE
• A. In General
• B. Vicarious Liability
• 1. In General
• 2. Particular Acts of Crew
• C. Circumstances of Injury
• 1. Assault
• a. In General
• b. Assaults Among Crew and Officers
• 2. Improper Management and Supervision
• a. In General
• b. Particular Acts Supervised
• 3. Medical Care
• 4. Physical Properties of Vessel and Dock
• 5. Other Circumstances
• V. DEFENSES
• A. Seaman's Acts or Omissions
• 1. Contributory and Comparative Negligence
• 2. Assumption of Risk
• 3. Contributory Negligence and Assumption of Risk Under Particular Circumstances
• B. Release
• C. Limitations of Actions
• 1. Statutory Limitations
• 2. Laches
• D. Collateral Estoppel and Res Judicata
• E. Limitation of Liability
• F. Other Defenses
• VI. DAMAGES
• A. In General
• B. Damages for Personal Injury
• 1. Elements of Damages
• 2. Deductions From Award
• C. Damages for Wrongful Death
• 1. Elements of Damages
• 2. Computation of Award
• VII. PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
• A. State Court Actions
• B. Jurisdiction
• 1. In General
• 2. Bases of Jurisdiction
• C. Venue
• 1. In General
• 2. Bases of Venue
• 3. Forum Non Conveniens
• D. Election of Alternative Remedies
• 1. In General
• 2. Electing Particular Remedies
• E. Institution of Action
• F. Pleadings and Motions
• 1. Complaint
• 2. Answer
• 3. Motions
• G. Removal and Remand
• H. Discovery
• I. Jury
• 1. Right To Jury Trial
• 2. Submission of Issues
• J. Evidence
• 1. In General
• 2. Plaintiff's Burden of Proof
• 3. Defendant's Burdeon of Proof
• 4. Admissibility of Evidence
• K. Appeal and Review
• L. Settlement