Mariners and deckhands work every day with one goal in mind: doing their jobs with efficiency. Sometimes, they work toward that goal without fully considering the potential risks of their work. This can lead to various injuries on vessels, docks and offshore platforms.
Under the Jones Act, anyone suffering injuries on navigable waters or in service of a vessel can seek compensation. It’s important for injured maritime workers to know their legal protections so they don’t miss out on the compensation and benefits they deserve.
Injuries during vessel operations and dockside duties
Maritime workers face risks both at sea and on shore. The Jones Act recognizes this and provides protection in different work environments. Injuries covered by the Act aren’t just those on the open water. Workers can also claim compensation for injuries while the vessel is in port, as long as they were performing job-related duties at the time.
For instance, a deckhand who slips on a wet surface while loading cargo in port may be eligible for compensation. An engineer injured while doing repairs on a docked ship is usually eligible for this support too. The important thing is that the worker must be working on the vessel at the time of the injury, no matter where it is.
Common compensable injuries under the Jones Act
The Jones Act covers many injuries that maritime workers may experience. Some common ones include:
- Slips, trips and falls on deck
- Back injuries from heavy lifting
- Crushing injuries from moving equipment
- Burns from fires or chemical exposure
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Head injuries from falling objects
- Drowning or near-drowning incidents
The Act covers more than just traumatic injuries; it can include illnesses caused by working conditions. For example, respiratory problems from long-term exposure to harmful substances or hearing loss from loud noise can also be compensable.
Injuries caused by negligence and unseaworthiness
The Jones Act provides two main reasons for injury claims: negligence and unseaworthiness. Negligence means the employer or coworkers didn’t use reasonable care. This could include:
- Failure to provide proper training
- Inadequate supervision
- Unsafe work practices
- Failure to maintain equipment
Unseaworthiness relates to the vessel itself. A ship is considered unseaworthy if it, or any part of it, is not reasonably safe to operate. This could involve:
- Defective equipment
- Lack of proper safety gear
- Insufficient crew
- Slippery surfaces
Both of these things can cause injuries, and understanding them is important for maritime workers seeking compensation.
Look to the Jones Act after a maritime workplace injury
If you’ve been injured while working in a maritime environment, the Jones Act may offer ways to get compensation. Under this law, injured workers can seek compensation for personal expenses, such as daily living costs during recovery (maintenance), medical treatment costs (cure), and damages for physical and emotional distress (pain and suffering).
But that’s not all. Compensation can also cover financial losses and future needs, like lost wages for time away from work and vocational rehabilitation if the injuries are so severe that the worker can’t return to their previous maritime job.
Those who work on or around ships don’t want to suffer injuries so severe that they can’t work anymore. The Jones Act understands this and seeks to help them get back to work or earn a living in other ways. The law helps them and supports them during this difficult time.
