What is the purpose of the Jones Act?
Jones Act is a federal law in the United States of America that was also popularized by the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. The law lays down the rights of the seamen as they operate boats, ferries, ships, barges, and oil rigs. So what does it protect? First, the Jones Act protects the rights of the seamen as it helps them draw or seek compensation benefits in an occasion where they suffer from an injury or illness.
In several accounts, seamen across Charles Lake had obtained several damages or diseases caused by an unsuitable work environment, faulty equipment, inadequate safety measures, or negligence of their owners or crew. Therefore there has been a surge in the demand for Lake Charles Jones Act Lawyer.
How does the United States Federal regulate it?
As mentioned above, The United States Federal regulates The Jones Act specifically for a diverse range of maritime activities between the USA ports or in the water bodies within their jurisdiction. The Jones Act focuses on issues related to marine commerce; it regulates all commercial vessels that function in the ocean, canals, Intracoastal waterways, and rivers.
What happens to a maritime worker who gets injured? As discussed, a worker who has obtained injuries would be able to seek compensation. The state shall evaluate the condition of the seamen and then analyze how various marine laws and the Jones Act shall apply. The whole process can be confusing because it does not specify how a worker is classified as a Jones Act Seaman.
On the other hand, a seaman who falls under the Jones Act is entitled to some specific rights if they suffered from an injury or illness while they were at their job! What kind of rights does the law offer? The law includes rights about health issues and issues with food, wages, and proper shelter. But the biggest issue does not lie with the law; the actual problem is that the seamen themselves aren’t aware of their rights. Therefore, they don’t know what benefits they can seek from the law.
Most workers don’t know that they can avail compensation if they were hurt or injured while performing a task. Otherwise, all provisions have been made by the U.S. federal law to help them out. So how does an attorney help a worker? A Lake Charles Jones Act Lawyer can help a worker determine the status of their injury and other details. Once an attorney takes over your case, he shall determine the rights and benefits the worker is entitled to. These benefits include the cost of surgeries, treatment, and medication.
How does a lawyer determine what kind of compensation a worker should get?
The Federal laws understand how an injury or a disease can lead to long-term complications. Injuries can be of different types: physical injuries and mental, emotional, and financial damages. These injuries may have a massive influence on a worker’s long-term ability to work or earn. Therefore benefits or compensation of a worker depends upon these factors.
Hiring a Lake Charles Jones Act Lawyer can help them have a legal representation before the law to derive the compensation they are entitled to. In a case where the marine worker had suffered from an illness or injury, they must seek legal aid from an attorney who has expertise in Jones Act. An attorney can help them retrieve the fair compensation they deserve; they may ensure they receive the highest benefit. Lastly, a worker shall file a Lawsuit about Jones Act within three years of the accident. Three years is the time bracket within which a lawsuit should be filed.