Jones Act Maritime Offshore Injruy

Louisiana residents who work as crew members or officers aboard vessels do not fall under the ordinary workers’ compensation system. A federal law called the Jones Act allows them to file personal injury claims against their employers. It also allows surviving family members to file wrongful death claims in the event their loved one is killed while on the job.
For example, a seaman claims that he suffered injuries to his right ankle, left knee and lower spine in an accident while working on board his employer’s vessel. It is claimed that the nature of his injuries resulted in permanent disability.  Seadrill Americas Inc. hired the man as a roustabout. He was then assigned to a deepwater semi-submersible drilling vessel, which is where the accident took place.
The details surrounding the accident were not outlined in the court documents recently filed in the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Louisiana. However, the allegations against Seadrill claim that the vessel was not seaworthy, the seaman was not provided with a safe work environment and was not given any warnings regarding certain hazards aboard the vessel. He seeks relief for current and future medical costs, lost wages and other damages.
A federal judge will ultimately determine whether the evidence presented on behalf of the seaman constitutes negligence on the part of Seadrill. First, however, it must be established before the court that man is a seaman as defined in the Jones Act and that the vessel he was aboard at the time of the accident also meets the definition of a vessel as set forth in the Act. A successfully litigated claim could result in an award of all or a portion of the damages he seeks.

It takes numerous people to run and maintain a drilling operation off the Louisiana coast. Drilling companies employ a myriad of people, including electronics technicians. One of those technicians suffered an offshore injury during the course of his employment with Seadrill Americas Inc.
On Feb. 18, the electronics technician was assigned to the Sevan Louisiana, which is a vessel that is semi-submersible. At some point, the man fell. He claims in the lawsuit he recently filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana that his right shoulder was injured in the fall.
No further information regarding the accident was provided, but the allegations in the lawsuit claim that his employer failed to keep the vessel free from slipping hazards and spills. He further claims that Seadrill did not provide him with a safe working environment and warnings of potential dangers, among other things. The technician also claims that the Sevan Louisiana was not seaworthy, which led to his injuries.
He is asking for damages, such as lost wages (both past and future), mental and physical pain and suffering, and medical expenses. He further claims that he now suffers a permanent disability that will limit his earning capacity and inhibit his enjoyment of life. If the court determines that his employer was negligent and is responsible for his injuries, it may consider awarding him the damages he seeks under the Jones Act. Companies that employ people to work offshore are required to provide for their safety just as any company on land is required to do. When a worker suffers an offshore injury, he or she retains the right to seek restitution for those injuries and the damages incurred as a result.