About The Jones Act

The Jones Act is a federal law protecting the rights of maritime workers who have been injured offshore.

Who is covered by the Jones Act?

If your job involves working on a vessel at sea, along the Gulf Coast, in a river system, or on an offshore oil rig, you are not entitled to workers’ compensation. Instead, you are covered by federal admiralty law, also known as “maritime law” or the “Jones Act.”

How do I know if I'm covered by The Jones Act?

In order to be covered under the Jones Act, you must be assigned to a “vessel” and your job must contribute to the mission of that vessel. Basically, any job on the vessel will fit the definition. The following is a list of the types of jobs often covered by the Jones Act:

• Captains and crew members
• Roughnecks, roustabouts, drillers, toolpushers, derrickmen, company men, OIMs (Offshore Installation Managers), mud engineers, deck engineers
• Ordinary seaman, able-bodied seaman, deckhands, engineers, mates
• Tankermen and Barge workers
• Cooks, galleyhands, and other supporting jobs

How Is The Jones Act Different from Workers Compensation?

Federal maritime law and the Jones Act are extremely complicated. Only a handful of law firms and maritime lawyers across the country handle these types of complex cases and have a track record of success.