East Texas Jones Act Attorneys

Protecting Injured Maritime Workers in East Texas & Nationwide

Maritime workers in East Texas have high-risk jobs. Heavy loads, equipment, aging vessels, and the natural risks of offshore work are just a few of the hazards most workers face on a daily basis. One of the riskiest parts of working as a seaman is that they work hundreds of miles offshore—leaving them without immediate medical care if they get hurt. As a result, the harmful effects of a serious accident are even worse at sea. When offshore workers suffer injuries due to negligence, they can file a claim under the Jones Act.

The Jones Act protects any U.S. seaman who suffers an injury or illness due to negligence. The Jones Act was created to ensure injured offshore workers can fully recover from their losses. Each claim generally provides higher dollar amounts than workers’ compensation claims, which usually only cover basic medical care. However, a Jones Act claim requires proof of negligence on the part of the employer, an employee, or the vessel owners.

If you have suffered injuries due to negligence while working offshore, there are laws that protect you. Contact an East Texas Jones Act attorney from Arnold & Itkin today.

Our firm is proud to help clients throughout all of East Texas, including New Ulm, Garwood, Fulshear, Richmond, Oakwood, Bon Wier, Shelbyville, as well as Tyler, Lufkin, Marshall, Nacogdoches, Athens, and more.

What Is the Jones Act?

The Jones Act is formally known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920—a federal statute enacted to develop and protect American sea trade. The Jones Act governs maritime commerce transported between US ports. It also regulates maritime commerce and employer practices, specifically with regard to providing crew members with a reasonably safe, well-maintained vessel to work and sleep.

Your rights as a seaman under the Jones Act include:

• The right to a reasonably safe working environment
• The right to make a legal claim if injured due to negligence
• The right to maintenance and cure compensation related to the injury or illness
• The right to additional compensation if the vessel or crew is deemed unseaworthy
• The right to additional punitive damages if an employer wrongfully refused payment of maintenance and cure
• The right to file a wrongful death claim under the Jones Act if a loved one dies at sea

The East Texas Jones Act lawyers at Arnold & Itkin have won billions for our clients against some of the largest companies in the world. We fought for justice on behalf of the survivors and families from the Deepwater Horizon explosion, the El Faro sinking, and countless other at-sea disasters. If you’ve been injured, our Jones Act attorneys want to discuss your options in a free consultation.

Under the law, Jones Act claimants can claim:

• Lost wages
• Loss of future earning capacity
• Physical pain, suffering, and disfigurement
• Medical care
• Mental anguish
• Cost of living during recovery

Helping Jones Act Workers Recover from Catastrophic Injuries

One of the most important times to make sure you have the right East Texas Jones Act law firm is after a catastrophic injuries. Simply defined, the legal and medical community considers injuries that have lifelong implications for a person as catastrophic. They're often painful, require extensive treatment, and force a change in the quality of the rest of a person's life.

Offshore workers often face considerable dangers during their daily routines. For example, those on oil rigs face constant risk of exposure to toxic substances or from explosions caused by volatile products. Accidents on oil rigs are often serious and have lifelong implications for those they harm. Meanwhile, the companies who could have prevented the accident often fail to do the right thing.

Serious injuries are expensive, and those with them deserve compensation to live as comfortably as possible after an accident.

Catastrophic injuries our East Texas serious injury law firm can help with include:

• Brain damage
• Amputated limbs
• Neck and back injuries
• Severe burn injuries
• Post-traumatic stress
• Spinal cord injury

Call (888) 493-1629 today to speak with our team in a free consultation.

Claims of Unseaworthiness

Under the Jones Act, the ship owner is required to keep the vessel seaworthy for employees. A vessel owner is not allowed to shift this obligation to anyone else. The factors below can may help support your claim of unseaworthiness against a vessel owner. If you believe an unseaworthy vessel was the cause of your injuries, it is advised to contact an attorney to learn how to proceed.

An offshore vessel can be considered unseaworthy due to the following:

• An inadequate number of crew members or workers
• Untrained crew or captain
• Lack of appropriate safety guards or rails
• Lack of fire extinguishers and mandatory fire suppression equipment
• Lack of sufficient food or unsafe living conditions
• Improperly stowed cargo
• Lack of proper elevators or hoists

Why Should You Hire an East Texas Jones Act Attorney?

If you have sustained injuries while working as an offshore worker, it is vital to contact a Jones Act attorney in East Texas as quickly as possible who is experienced with offshore injury claims. At Arnold & Itkin, we understand how overwhelming life becomes after suffering an injury. This is why we pour extensive resources into achieving the best possible results for your case.

Our team has recovered over $10 billion for our clients, and we are the leading offshore injury lawyers in the US. Speak with our East Texas Jones Act attorneys today with no risk!