Maritime Law

Maritime Law and the Jones Act Provide Many Rights to Injured Seamen

Maritime Law: Who Is Covered?

Maritime law, sometimes called admiralty law, is the law that governs happenings on the water. General maritime law covers marine shipping laws, cargo damage and vessel arrests, but it most often concerns itself with the welfare of maritime workers.

Maritime law and the Jones Act provide many rights to seamen, including the right to seek compensation after an injury. 

You are considered a seaman if you:

  • Work on a vessel capable of navigating in American waters, such as an ocean vessel, tugboat, fishing boat, barge or cruise ship
  • Are employed as a crew member on the vessel as a deckhand, captain, cook, engineer, rig worker or stevedore
  • Spend at least 30 percent of your working time on a vessel in navigation

Quite often we deal with third party accidents over water in the Gulf of Mexico, which is covered by the Longshore & Harbor Workers Act. Whether your accident is covered under this area of the law of the Jones Act, maximizing your compensation requires the experience our team can bring to the case.

If you are a seaman who has been injured offshore, on an ocean vessel, on the Mississippi or inland waterway, finding an experienced maritime legal team to help you recover damages is very important.

Let us make the choice easy for you.

$1,142,000.00 SETTLEMENT
Seaman working on liftboat, the vessel flipped over, causing a valve to slip and struck him on the back and shoulder. Had surgery on shoulder.
$850,000 SETTLEMENT
Foot was caught under a wire, slicing through his boot and injuring his foot and toes.
$17 MILLION SETTLEMENT

Cajun deckhand with serious brain injury

$5 MILLION+ SETTLEMENT
On Jack-up boat. Death benefit to make grieving family whole
$2.989 MILLION TRIAL VERDICT AFFIRMED ON APPEAL
Welder injured after jack-up vessel capsized
$1.36 MILLION FEDERAL JURY VERDICT

Crane barge operator injured when boom collapsed

$600,000 SETTLEMENT
Jones Act dredge operator injured when tender grounded while transporting him to dredge
$675,000 SETTLEMENT

(Jones Act) Deckhand on paddlewheel excursion boat hit on head by smokestack. Neck surgery required

How Our Firm Can Help You

At Blake Jones Law Firm, our extensive legal team has handled numerous maritime cases, recovering compensation for workers who have suffered injuries in all types of waterway or boating accidents.

Our attorneys have extensive collective experience handling cases for those along the Gulf Coast. We have handled cases in Louisiana, Alaska, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Texas. And we have secured multimillion-dollar verdicts, settlements and awards for our past clients.

Do not give up your protected rights and chance at fair compensation after an injury. Reach out to our team to find out what our lawyers can do for you.

Speak to our Experienced Attorneys Today

Call our office at 504-500-1234 or contact us to schedule an appointment. Flexible appointments, including on weekends, are available upon request.

We also handle cruise ship accidents. If you or a loved one was injured as a passenger, contact us to learn more about your rights.