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What Our Clients Say

I hired Brian after I was hurt on an offshore oil platform. I would recommend Brian and his law firm to anyone who needed a good injury lawyer, and especially any offshore worker. . ..

Jackie R

Houston, Texas
Brian and his staff are courteous and professional, and they work diligently to make sure the client transitions through the process as easily and comfortably as possible.

Your sincere and satisfied client,

Steve T.

Houston, Texas
I was hurt on a boat offshore. Brian and
his law firm worked hard on my case. The settlement he got for me will
take care of my financial needs for the rest of my life. If you are
looking for someone to take your interests at heart Brian and his law
firm can give you the attention your case deserves.

Tim M.

Austin,
Texas
There are only a small number of attorneys who could handle such a complex case as mine, and Brian was at the top of the list. His response time is unsurpassed, replying within minutes to my initial enquiry. He has an instinctive understanding of the legal issues, and consummate people skills, an essential attribute in the negotiation phase of any litigation. Thanks to Brian the case was settled favorably within a year.

Steven S.,

Wales, U.K.
Brian, your book was a real eye-opener. If I had read your book sooner, I would have avoided a lot of costly mistakes.

Captain Jim Vickers
I was hurt on an offshore oil rig. I was unable to work or get proper medical care from the company. I was referred to Brian by another law firm because that firm knew Brian specialized in Jones Act cases. Brian settled my case in less than 12 months. The settlement will enable me to take care of my family financially for a long time. I would highly recommend Brian and his firm to any injured worker.

Freddy N.,

Lufkin, Texas

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Disclaimer

We designed this website to provide information to consumers, injured people, and their families. Our goal is to level the playing field between consumers and insurance companies and expose the tricks, traps, and techniques they use to cheat injured people out of their legal rights. We also let consumers know about legal news, including verdicts and settlements and other interesting legal information.

But please understand that nothing on this website is meant to provide legal information about your specific case, create an attorney-client relationship, or imply that the results of your legal case will be the same as some other case.

Merchant Marine Act of 1920 a.k.a. Jones Act

Fishermen and other maritime workers face many perils when working on the open seas. Treacherous weather and water conditions can lead to vessel accidents, but that is not the only hazard faced by seamen. They are often victims of drowning accidents, falls, unsafe equipment, assaults and other maritime accidents.

In an effort to protect injured seamen and their families, the U.S. government enacted the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, also referred to as the Jones Act. This federal statute regulates maritime commerce on U.S. waters and between U.S. ports. The law also includes provisions that protect the rights of seamen.

There are sabotage provisions included in the federal statute. These provisions place restrictions on the carriage of goods and passengers between U.S. ports to U.S. built and flagged vessels. According to the cabotage section of the law, at least 75 percent of the crewmembers must be citizens of the United States.

The Jones Act also has a section that discusses the rights of seamen. For centuries, seamen have been protected by the courts and their rights have been recognized. Under the law, injured seamen can obtain damages from their employers for the negligence of the vessel owner, the captain, or other crewmembers. They can also file a claim against the vessel owner based on unseaworthiness or negligence.

To qualify for this protection, the injured maritime worker must be classified as a seaman. A benchmark for Jones Act seaman status was set by the United States Supreme Court in the case of Chandris, Inc. v. Latsis, 515 U.S. 347, 115 S.Ct. 2172 (1995). Based on this benchmark, if a worker spends less than 30 percent of his time in the service of a vessel on navigable waters, it is presumed that he is not a seaman under the Jones Act.