Working in a maritime environment is inherently dangerous. The ocean is unpredictable, and weather can create many hazards on the open ocean. Most offshore jobs require work with heavy machinery and possibly dangerous chemicals that amplify environmental work hazards.
Maritime careers ranging from oil and gas work to vessel operation come with significant safety hazards. If an incident in the workplace sickens or injures a maritime professional, they may require medical treatment. Their symptoms may also leave them incapable of working, at least temporarily.
Unlike blue-collar workers who perform their jobs onshore, offshore professionals usually do not have access to workers’ compensation benefits. Instead, they rely on the protection of the Jones Act. This federal law establishes the right to request compensation for offshore employment injuries.
What does the Jones Act authorize?
The Jones Act helps ensure that professionals injured in maritime environments have the right to request compensation from their employers. Most employers can indemnify themselves from liability for worker injuries by carrying workers’ compensation coverage.
Maritime employers have direct liability for employee injuries and illnesses caused by negligence. Injured employees can file lawsuits seeking compensation when they require medical care or cannot work because of an incident on the job.
The Jones Act allows injured employees to request cure and maintenance. Cure refers to the costs of medical treatment, while maintenance refers to the wages a worker cannot earn because of their medical challenges.
Injured maritime employees face a complex claims process when they cannot work due to medical challenges. Learning more about the laws that protect maritime professionals, including the Jones Act, could be the first step toward reasonable compensation for on-the-job injuries.