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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.

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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.

Jones Act Cases

If you have been injured in a maritime accident, before you sign anything or give a recorded statement, you need to order Maritime Attorney Brian Beckcom’s book,
Insider's Guide to Winning Your Maritime Injury Case. This controversial book will answer your pressing legal questions and will help you avoid costly mistakes.

When you are injured offshore, whether on an oil rig, platform, tug or other vessel, one of your biggest concerns is how you are going to pay your medical bills and take care of your family. To make matters worse, you might be feeling pressure by the company to get back to work when you know that you are not ready. What do you do now?

Your Legal Rights Under the Jones Act
There is a federal law, known as the Jones Act, which provides compensation to maritime workers who are considered to be seamen. This law is very similar to the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA), which grants workers and their family members the legal right to file lawsuits against employers when preventable injuries and death occurred on the job.

Under the Jones Act, injured seamen and offshore workers are allowed to sue their employers and the vessel owners directly. To have a successful claim, you have to show that the vessel’s owner, operator, officer, crewmember or other employee was negligent. You can also file a lawsuit if the ship was unseaworthy at the time of the offshore accident.

Maintenance & Cure
Injured Jones Act seamen are entitled to “maintenance and cure.” Maintenance is the amount that is designed to cover your living expenses during your recovery. The amount you are paid is supposed to cover your basic living expenses, such as your house payment, food and utilities. However, many companies do not pay an adequate amount of maintenance, making it difficult on the injured offshore worker.

Cure is the amount needed to pay your medical bills to treat your injuries. It could include doctor visits, medications and physical therapy. The company is required to pay for your medical expenses relating to your injury, until you have reached maximum cure.

Representation for Injured Offshore Workers
The Houston Jones Act attorneys at the law offices of Vujasinovic & Beckcom P.L.L.C. (V & B) understand that you have a lot going through your mind following an offshore accident. We know that you are probably worried about getting fired if you pursue a claim against your employer. Many maritime workers are afraid they will get blacklisted or blackballed for pursuing Jones Act compensation. When you contact our office, we will be able to talk through your concerns and determine the appropriate options for you.

At V & B, we have been able to achieve positive resolutions for our clients within the maritime industry. We continuously work hard in our defense of the Jones Act and maritime law.

Contact one of our Jones Act lawyers today at 713.224.7800 or 877.724.7800.

V & B represents injured seamen, sailors, merchant marines, roustabouts, tankermen, pilots, captains, oil rig workers, roughnecks and other offshore workers. We handle cases across the world, including those that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, the Port of Houston, the Houston Ship Channel, Galveston Bay and the Intracoastal Waterways.

Blog for Jones Act Cases

Library for Jones Act Cases:

Do you have a question about the Jones Act? Read the full text of the Jones Act right now.
Description: Do you want to read the entire Jones Act? Read the full text of the Jones Act www.martimeaccidentattorney.com, the website of Maritime Attorney Brian Beckcom.
Tanker Accidents and the Jones Act
Description: If you have been injured in a tanker accident, you could be entitled to compensation. Read this article to learn more about the rights of injured tanker workers under the Jones Act. Contact an experienced Jones Act lawyer at the Law Offices of Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. at 713.224.7800 or 877.724.7800 for advice regarding your maritime injury case.
Tugboat Accidents and the Jones Act
Description: If you have been injured in a tugboat accident or towboat accident, you could be entitled to compensation under the Jones Act. For more information, read this article about Jones Act damages from a tug accident. Also, contact an experienced Houston maritime attorney at the Law Offices of Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. at 713.224.7800 or 877.724.7800.
Offshore Oil Rig Accidents and the Jones Act
Description: As there continues to be a high demand for oil, there is a high rate of offshore oil rig accidents. Read this article to learn about offshore oil rig workers’ rights when injured in serious oil rig accidents. Contact an experienced oil rig lawyer at the Houston Law Offices of Vujasinovic & Beckcom, P.L.L.C. at 713.224.7800 or 877.724.7800 if you have sustained an oil rig injury.
Barge Accidents and the Jones Act
Description: If you have been injured in a barge accident, you need to read this article to learn about your rights. You could be entitled to compensation for your injuries and should call an experienced Houston Jones Act lawyer at the law offices of Vujasinovic & Beckcom, L.L.P. at 713.224.7800 or 877.724.7800.
Maersk Alabama recalls senseless maritime tragedies of the past
Description: While the actions of Maersk Alabama Captain Richard Phillips—initially praised as heroic but now under fire—have drawn strong media coverage, statements by the vessel’s other skipper have gone largely under the radar.
Flag of convenience operators taking a back seat in defending against piracy
Description: In a statement issued this week, the International Transport Workers Federation (“ITF”) has taken a position against sending ships through the pirate infested waters off East Africa unless “exceptional circumstances” are in effect. To send vulnerable ships into deadly waters is a case of willful neglect with potential legal ramifications, the statement reads.
Are vessel crimes blurring the lines between on and offshore laws?
Description: Shipping companies have long been accused of using the confusing nature of maritime legal authority to handcuff their employees’ right to justice and fair compensation.
Arm Injuries and the Jones Act
Description: An arm injury can be serious and may require surgery and weeks of recovery. This article discusses symptoms and treatment of an arm injury and the rights of injured seamen. For more information on what to do following a maritime accident, contact a maritime attorney at the Houston law offices of Vujasinovic & Beckcom, L.L.P. at 713.224.7800 or 877.724.7800.
Ex-Maersk Alabama crew members file case against employers
Description: Six mariners hijacked in the April pirate attack upon the Maersk Alabama have hired Vujacinovic and Beckcom, PLCC, to represent their claim against their employer.