Choosing a Jones Act injury attorney isn’t as simple as flipping open the yellow pages to the attorneys section. Unlike general injury cases or typical workers compensation cases, very few lawyers have substantial experience with Jones Act cases. This law is a unique one that requires intimate, detailed knowledge to successfully practice, so you’ll want to be sure to choose an attorney who specializes in these proceedings.
The Jones Act is a law that came into being in 1920, as a protective measure for seamen of all kinds. The law is a sort of workers’ compensation program for workers at sea, only it goes even deeper than workers comp law does. In addition to covering seamen during individual catastrophic events like accidents on the boat, explosions, or fires, it also covers injuries that occur as a result of performing repetitive motions. So that position you held on a boat for 35 yeas that involved you doing the same task with the same form over and over again, leading to eventual back pain or joint injuries, may make you eligible for compensation under the coverage of the Jones Act.
There are a handful of Maritime lawyers and Jones Act injury attorney specialists in New York, NY. Be sure to conduct online research to not only find out who some of the major New York area Jones Act specialists are, but to find out what sort of reputations each one has. You may be able to find some helpful information on any one of the number of consumer-generated review sites available on the web.
Firms such as Friedman James have built their entire practice around Maritime law. With offices in New York and Monmouth, they’re certainly a convenient, experienced option. Williams Law, P.C., also has a rich history of contesting these cases in court. And many more qualified attorneys are available through online searches. It’s all just a matter of finding the right one to represent you.