Nobody was at fault in my maritime accident. Am I still eligible for compensation?

A:

YES, as a Jones Act seaman you are indeed eligible for compensation in the form of medical benefits and maintenance & cure no matter who was at fault in your accident – even if nobody was at fault.

The only way you would not be eligible for compensation is if you deliberately injured yourself or if your accident did not happen on-the-job.

Maritime accidents that fall under the Jones Act are similar to workers’ compensation in that fault does not need to be established in order for a worker to receive compensation.  Your employer is required by law to pay for your injuries regardless of what happened.

It is important to know your rights, because sometimes an employer will tell you that you aren’t eligible for benefits because the accident was your fault.  This just isn’t true.  You also don’t have to pay any benefits back to your employer for any reason.

Make sure you get independent legal advice after an offshore injury.  Please contact our office to discuss your situation for no cost or obligation.