experienced attorneys

We have 60 years of combined experience working with accident victims.

contingency basis

We take injury claims on a contingency basis, which means we are only paid when your recovery check arrives.

personal attention

Our attorneys limit the number of cases we accept so we can give you the personal attention you deserve.

experienced attorneys

We have 60 years of combined experience working with accident victims.

contingency basis

We take injury claims on a contingency basis, which means we are only paid when your recovery check arrives.

personal attention

Our attorneys limit the number of cases we accept so we can give you the personal attention you deserve.

maritime attorneys

NATIONWIDE MARITIME ATTORNEYS

Injured maritime workers have relied on the Jones Act since the 1930s, when the need for a uniform law to protect the rights of seamen and offshore workers injured at sea finally became so great that Congress was forced to act. Workers who are injured on a vessel in a navigable waterway within the scope and course of their job can rely on the Jones Act in order to hold an employer accountable for damages.

Maritime lawyers, Gordon & Elias, LLP, newsroom and press includes published media from CNN, PBS, AP, National Geographic, MSNBC, videos and articles about the BP Transocean Deepwater Horizon disaster including the Chris Choy survival story.

The Jones Act

The Jones Act is a federal statute that the legislature passed in the 1930s, which gives seamen injured during their employment the right to sue for personal injury. The law entitles almost every land-based worker to worker’s compensation benefits under federal and state law. In the maritime industry, these rules don’t apply. Since the law doesn’t permit seamen to file worker’s compensation claims, the Jones Act is an important piece of legislation that gives maritime workers financial recourse for their injuries.

To collect compensation under the Jones Act, injured maritime workers must prove their employer was negligent. In accordance with the terms of the Jones Act:

  • A maritime employer must provide a reasonably safe place to work.
  • An employer must use reasonable care to keep and maintain the vessel on which a seaman is working.

If maritime employers fail in their duty to provide and maintain a safe workplace, they may be liable for negligence to both the captain and coworkers. The courts consider the Jones Act employee-centric, as it puts the burden on the employer to ensure a safe workplace. The following are examples of unsafe conditions or negligence under the Jones Act:

  • Malfunctioning equipment
  • Oil or grease on deck
  • An improperly maintained vessel or equipment
  • Failure to provide proper safety equipment
  • Improper or incomplete training or the employee or coworkers
  • Unsafe work processes
  • Coworker assault
  • Any negligence of a seaman’s coworkers or captain

The Longshore and Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act

The second avenue of recourse for injured maritime workers is called the Longshore and Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act – LHWCA. This is a federal statute that provides injury benefits for certain maritime employees as well as civilian employees on military bases. The LHWCA protects harbor workers, longshoremen, and people who work on docks, shipping terminals, and shipyards.

The LHWCA offers monetary benefits to injured workers who are:

  • Temporarily but totally disabled
  • Temporarily but partially disabled
  • Permanently but partially disabled
  • Permanently and completely disabled

Under the LHWCA, an injured maritime worker may also receive compensation for all their necessary medical treatments as well as reimbursement for mileage and travel associated with medical treatment and rehabilitation.

 

CLIENT

TESTIMONIALS

Watch what our previous clients have said about their
stories and why they choose us to represent them.

“They are fantastic attorneys. I am really pleased with the settlement. GES sits down and explains everything.”

TERRY SELLERS/oil rig injury

“I have friends that have hired other lawyers. Their lawyers have not done nearly as much for them as GES has done for me and my family."

MATT JACOBS/oil rig injury

"Todd Elias is like a brother now. He is a really good person. I appreciate everything he has done for me."

STEVEN COOK/tug boat injury

“The lawyers here are good guys. They have a lot of compassion for their clients. Thanks to GES I am able to move on with my life.”

CHRIS CHOY/oil rig injury

“They are fantastic attorneys. I am really pleased with the settlement. GES sits down and explains everything.”

TERRY SELLERS/oil rig injury

“I have friends that have hired other lawyers. Their lawyers have not done nearly as much for them as GES has done for me and my family."

MATT JACOBS/oil rig injury

"Todd Elias is like a brother now. He is a really good person. I appreciate everything he has done for me."

STEVEN COOK/tug boat injury

“The lawyers here are good guys. They have a lot of compassion for their clients. Thanks to GES I am able to move on with my life.”

CHRIS CHOY/oil rig injury

request your
free consultation

MARITIME LAW
ATTORNEYS

JONES

ACT

Your Maritime Law Attorneys

The Law Office of Gordon & Elias, is a full-service maritime law firm, which means we serve clients under the Jones Act and the LHWCA. If you have been injured at sea, you have rights under federal law – let us help you take advantage of them. We help injured maritime workers who don’t qualify for these statutes, including third party longshoreman claims.

We offer our maritime law services on a contingency-fee basis. In simple terms, this means “no recovery, no fee.” We believe in helping our clients find recourse for their injuries and financial security in the future, so we won’t collect a fee unless you win a settlement. We offer these services to maritime workers throughout the United States, from Alaska to the Gulf Coast.

Your maritime injury claim begins with a free initial consultation. Call our office today at 800-773-6770 or contact us online. If you fill out our online form, you could be talking to one of our skilled team members within 30 minutes. Contact us for your free case review.

team members within 30 minutes. Contact us for your free case review.

Our Attorneys

Todd Elias & Steve Gordon

VESSELS

Many factors determine what types of boats and which structures are considered vessels under the Jones Act. Below are some of those boats, ships and structures in which injury claims have been adjudicated in courts across the United States as vessels under the Jones Act 46 U.S.C. 688.

Jack Up Barge

Barge

Fishing Vessel

Ferry Boats

Supply Boats

Crew Boat

Dredge

Floater Platform Rig

Tugboat