
The Jones Act may apply if you are injured in a maritime accident in Texas. Working in the maritime industry is dangerous. It is important that you seek benefits and compensation from all sources if you sustain an injury on the job.
Our injury lawyers at Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers have over 43 years of combined legal experience. We work diligently to protect our clients’ best interests. Our law firm has won millions of dollars for our clients in negotiated settlements and trial verdicts.
Contact our team today at (281) 667-4081 to request a free consultation with a Houston Jones Act lawyer.
How Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You with a Jones Act Claim in Texas

Maritime injuries may require an employee to be out of work for a lengthy period while they recover. Some maritime accidents result in permanent disabilities and impairments.
The injured worker and their family are left to deal with the consequences of a maritime injury. At Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers, we fight to obtain the compensation and benefits a maritime worker is entitled to receive under the law.
When you hire our top-rated Houston maritime accident lawyers, you can trust we will:
- Investigate the circumstances surrounding your maritime accident and injury
- Gather evidence proving how the accident occurred and who is responsible
- Hire leading expert witnesses in the maritime industry to help with your case
- Prepare and file all paperwork to pursue a Jones Act claim and other injury claims
- Determine how much your claim and benefits are worth
- Aggressively negotiate fair settlements based on the value of your damages
- Advocate for your best interest during all court proceedings and hearings
Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers was founded to fight for the rights of injured parties and their families in Texas. Our attorneys have extensive trial experience. They are also skilled and resourceful negotiators.
Our lawyers have recognition and high ratings from numerous national and local organizations. Those organizations include the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, Super Lawyers, and The National Trial Lawyers Top 100. We are members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Contact Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers to request a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney in Houston, TX.
What is the Jones Act, and How Does it Apply to Maritime Accidents in Texas?
The Jones Act protects seamen if they are injured at work. The Act is also known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. The law applies to water-going ships and vessels. However, it does not apply to offshore injuries.
The Jones Act covers a wide range of maritime workers, including:
- Captains and crew members
- Welders
- Commercial drives
- Dive instructors
- Ship chandlers
- Commercial fishermen
- Masters of charter diving vessels
- Other workers who meet the minimum requirements to be covered by the Jones Act
The minimum requirements to be covered by the Jones Act are:
- The employee works on a ship that is operational and capable of moving on navigable waters,
- The employee contributes to the work on the vessel and
- The employee spends a minimum of 30% of their time working on the vessel
The Jones Act typically does not cover Longshoremen, harbor workers, and contract workers. They can seek benefits for workplace injuries through the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act.
Under the Jones Act, employers and owners have a duty to maintain vessels in a seaworthy condition. Seamen can file personal injury lawsuits against their employers and vessel owners if they are injured at work because of the employer’s or owner’s negligence. Family members can file wrongful death lawsuits if their loved one is killed on the job.
The Jones Act Is Not Workers’ Compensation
In a workers’ compensation case, the injured employee does not need to prove negligence or wrongdoing to recover benefits. However, the Jones Act is not the same as workers’ compensation. Therefore, you must prove that an employer or owner was negligent and that their negligence caused your injuries.
Examples of negligence that could result in a Jones Act claim include but are not limited to:
- Failing to provide adequate safety equipment and/or safety training
- Violations of OSHA standards
- Missing elevators, guard rails, hoists, and other safety features
- Inadequate maintenance and repairs of the vessel or ship
- Failure to have adequate fire extinguishment systems
- Hiring an insufficient number of crew members to operate the ship safely
- Failing to secure and store cargo adequately
The Jones Act may also cover intentional torts or negligence by crew members that led to your injuries. An attorney can help you build a case with evidence proving your claim.
What Benefits Can a Worker Receive for a Jones Act Claim in Texas?
An injured worker can receive maintenance benefits to compensate them for their lost wages. Maintenance benefits cover wages, room, and board when the worker leaves the ship until they return to work or reach maximum medical improvement. Typically, the weekly benefit covers the cost of housing, food, utilities, transportation, and basic living costs.
Injured workers also receive cure benefits to pay for medical care. Cure benefits cover all reasonable and necessary medical treatment until the worker reaches maximum medical improvement.
If the injury relates to the vessel’s unseaworthiness, the Jones Act may provide additional compensation for injured seamen. The seaman may recover compensation for mental anguish, pain and suffering, and diminished earning capacity.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Houston Jones Act Lawyers
Maritime accidents in Texas can cause catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths. You and your family deserve to be fairly compensated for your injuries and losses. Our legal team at Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers fights to obtain the benefits and compensation you are entitled to receive by law.
Call us today for a free case review from a Houston Jones Act lawyer.
Visit Our Jones Act Law Office in Houston, TX
Simon & O’Rourke Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers
440 Louisiana St Suite 2300-A, Houston, TX 77002
(281) 667 4081
8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
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