Maritime Injuries

Maritime Law
Maritime Claims - General Maritime Law Claims

The Maritime injuries are classified under the Jones Act and are a federal maritime law that provides benefits to workers who are injured on sea going vessels on navigable waters. This also includes offshore oil rigs which can be towed and are not permanently affixed to the ocean floor. Whether you are a seaman, an officer, a harbor pilot, an oil worker, a technician, a helicopter pilot, work on a tugboat, barge, ship, supply boat, semi-submersible drilling rig, jack-up drilling rig or if you become injured on or near the water, you should talk to a maritime injury lawyer before making a claim as soon as possible

Benefits include maintenance and cure. Maintenance is daily pay to workers who are unable to work pursuant to doctor’s orders. Cure includes medical care, doctors, hospitals and prescriptions drugs.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that a Maritime Law case is a workers' compensation case. The various States with relatively small cash settlements pass Workers’ Compensation Workers' Compensation laws. The Jones Act is a federal law involving very high cash settlements if the slightest negligence is involved or unseaworthiness of the vessel.

There is no State or federal agency involved in the administration of claims unlike workers’ compensation and Longshore-Harbor Worker Act. Injured workers covered under the this law should be careful about making claims under workers’ compensation or the Longshore-Harbor Workers’ Act. It is possible to lose rights if the worker elects benefits under other laws. If you have mistakenly made a claim under the wrong law, call us immediately to see if we can put things right.

Settlements in maritime law cases can be significant and the law complex. Injured workers should consult with a lawyer early in the case and be aware of the employer’s desire to minimize their losses.

Some employers will attempt to discourage workers from obtaining information about their legal rights and will try to get workers to file claims under workers' compensation instead of the Jones Act. If an employer is unwilling to fairly compensate workers, a lawsuit can be filed in federal district court seeking damages, however most cases are settled prior to trial.

Because weekly payments are sometimes inadequate or if payments cease, Jones Act law firms may advance money to clients to help them pay bills. Money loaned to clients is collected from the final settlement or judgment.

Attorney’s fees are contingent on obtaining a settlement or judgment. The contingent attorneys fees are 33 1/3% if settlement is reach prior to filing suit and 40% after suit is filed. Expenses are advanced by the law firm and recovered from the net amount of the client's share of the settlement.

If you think you may have a Jones Act claim, please call us at 1-800-JonesAct. We will confidentially speak with you about your injury and answer any questions. We do our best to help our clients with financial and medical care. Our attorneys are easy to talk to and your phone calls will always be returned on the same day you call. We will provide quality legal representation and help you through this difficult time in your life.

If you are considering a Jones Act claim you would do well to obtain as much information as possible about the Jones Act law and lawyers. Our website is designed to provide both information about the Jones Act law and our firm. We hope that you will give us the opportunity to speak to you about your concerns before you make a final decision about legal representation. Thank you for visiting our Jones Act website and accept our best wishes to you and yours.

Let Us Help You

No matter where you live, the lawyers and attorneys at the Ogletree Abbott Law Firm can help you get the help you need. If you would like, a lawyer or an attorney can contact you to answer your questions. There is no obligation and the initial phone call is always free of charge. Call toll free 1-800-JonesAct (1-800-566-3722). You may send us an email. Call today and speak to a maritime injury lawyer about your claim.