Punitive damages for willful refusal to pay maintenance and cure, per Atlantic Sounding Co. v. Townsend (2009).
When a maritime worker dies far out at sea, a single line on a chart, three nautical miles from shore, can decide which law governs the family’s claim and how much their loss is worth under it. Few rules in maritime law have such uneven consequences. In short: The Death on the High Seas Act…
After a serious offshore injury, the question that keeps you up at night is simple: what is my case actually worth? The honest answer is that no two Jones Act claims are alike, and the figures you see online hide more than they reveal. In short: There is no reliable single “average” Jones Act settlement,…
Losing a loved one in an accident at sea is one of the hardest things a family can face. If you are reading this, we are sorry. Here, in plain language, is how the law works and what your family’s rights may be. In short: A maritime wrongful death claim may fall under one of…
Commercial fishing is the deadliest civilian occupation in the United States. NIOSH data shows that fishermen die on the job at roughly 29 to 40 times the rate of the average U.S. worker. If you have been hurt on a fishing vessel, or you have lost a family member at sea, here is how the…
Cruise ship crew members come from across the world, Philippines, Indonesia, India, Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, and beyond, and work long contracts on foreign-flag vessels that sail in and out of U.S. ports. If you have been hurt working as cruise ship crew, your employment contract probably contains an arbitration clause that points…
If you were injured working at sea, the Jones Act may give you far stronger rights than ordinary workers’ compensation. Here is exactly where you stand. In short: The Jones Act (46 U.S.C. § 30104) is a federal law that lets an injured seaman sue their employer for negligence and demand a jury trial. It…
