Calculating a Jones Act Claim with an Experienced Attorney’s Help

May 9, 2012 - PRLog -- As a professional who works at sea, you’re often vulnerable to dangers employees in other industries would never experience. For this reason you have several options available to you in case you suffer from a serious injury.

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Not only can you receive maintenance and cure payments to cover food, shelter and any necessary medical attention, but you’re also allowed to file a Jones Act claim for additional compensation. Calculating a Jones Act claim can be difficult, so it would be a good idea to speak with an attorney.  

While maintenance and cure benefits are given regardless of who is at fault, a Jones Act claim can only be successful if you prove your employer is responsible for your injuries. So the burden is on you to show your employer was negligent in some way, thereby causing the serious accident to take place.

Although there are statutory limitations on how much you can earn from maintenance and cure benefits, no conditions exist for the amount available to you in a Jones Act claim. In essence, the sky’s the limit as long as your attorney follows Jones Act law.

Calculating a Jones Act Claim Settlement

The best way to place a value on a Jones Act claim is to break down all of the damages you can expect to receive in your case. Then put a dollar amount next to each one of these areas. Once you add them all together, you have a total to use in your claim.

Some of the factors you may apply in determining your settlement amount may include:

•   past wage loss;
•   future wage loss;
•   outstanding medical expenses;
•   future medical treatment;
•   rehabilitation;
•   any needed prosthetics;
•   future costs of medications;
•   future lost earning capacity;
•   expense of retraining;
•   value of lost household services;
•   past pain and suffering;
•   future pain and suffering;
•   disability;
•   future disability;
•   disfigurement;
•   loss of quality of life; and
•   future loss of quality of life.

By giving each individual area a value, you can calculate a fair settlement for your Jones Act claim. Your employer, the company doctor and the insurance company may all try to persuade you not to hire a lawyer. But since maritime law is complicated and can be confusing, it is in your best interest to find an attorney who understands the complexities of this legal field.

Negotiating damages on your own could leave you with a settlement that’s far less than you’re entitled to due to your injury. You may not even receive anything at all. An attorney who is experienced in maritime law, however, can help you file a Jones Act claim that may enable you to receive a settlement worthy of your suffering.

Get Help Calculating Your Jones Act Claim Today

At The Young Firm, our maritime and admiralty attorneys are dedicated to providing superior legal counsel to clients injured as a result of another party's reckless, careless or negligent conduct. We meticulously prepare each case and are committed to protecting the rights of the catastrophically injured. For more than 50 years, our attorneys have been focusing on the practice of maritime/admiralty law.

Please contact us to learn more about how we can help you with your maritime injury and Jones Act case. We’re available locally at 504-680-4100 or you can call us toll-free at 866-938-6113. Although we are based in New Orleans, we handle cases nationally.