The Jones Act is intended to provide compensation to seamen who are injured while working on a vessel on navigable waters. The term "seamen" has been defined to include workers on offshore oil rigs, stationary production rigs, tug boats, barges, cruise ships, private yachts, charter boats, riverboat casinos, shrimp boats, fishing boats, trawlers, tankers, crew boats, ferries, water taxis, and any other vessels on waters classified as "navigable" which includes intra-coastal waterways, rivers, canals, lakes and bays. Divers and underwater personnel can also be covered by the Jones Act.
There is a three year statute of limitations for claims made under the Jones Act.
Traditional admiralty law must be a consideration when handling a claim under the Jones Act. This can be quite difficult even for highly experienced lawyers, so you should be careful to contact experienced, well-qualified lawyers soon after your injury.
