Seattle Jones Act Lawyer for Injured Seamen and Maritime Workers

If you were injured while working at sea, on a fishing vessel, tugboat, barge, cargo ship, or offshore platform, you may be entitled to compensation under the Jones Act and general maritime law. These laws provide powerful protections for seamen, but shipowners and their insurers aggressively defend these claims. You need a Seattle maritime injury lawyer who understands vessel operations, maritime safety standards, and how to build strong liability cases against employers and vessel operators.

At MarineInjuryLaw.com, we represent injured seamen and maritime workers throughout Washington, Alaska, Oregon, and the Pacific Northwest, with a primary focus on serious offshore and commercial vessel injuries.

Who Qualifies as a “Seaman” Under the Jones Act?

To bring a Jones Act claim, you must qualify as a “seaman,” which generally means:

• You contribute to the function or mission of a vessel
• You have a substantial connection to that vessel (or fleet of vessels)
• You face the perils of the sea as part of your employment

This can include:

• Commercial fishermen and deckhands
• Tug and barge crews
• Cargo ship and tanker crew members
• Offshore supply vessel workers
• Certain shipyard workers assigned to vessels in navigation

Seaman status is frequently disputed by employers. We analyze work histories, vessel assignments, and fleet connections to establish eligibility and prevent misclassification.

Common Causes of Maritime and Vessel Injuries

Vessel environments present unique and severe hazards. We routinely handle cases involving:

• Winch, capstan, and line-handling injuries
• Slips and falls on wet or oily decks
• Crushing injuries from shifting cargo or equipment
• Allisions and collisions
• Engine room accidents and fires
• Falls overboard
• Inadequate staffing and unsafe work practices

Many of these injuries result from unseaworthy conditions, defective equipment, or violations of maritime safety regulations.

Your Legal Rights: Jones Act, Unseaworthiness, and Maintenance & Cure

Injured seamen typically have three overlapping legal claims:

1. Jones Act Negligence

If your employer’s negligence played any role—however small—in causing your injury, you may recover damages for:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages and future earning capacity
• Pain and suffering

The Jones Act uses a much lower causation standard than ordinary personal injury law, making thorough investigation critical.

2. Unseaworthiness

Vessel owners must provide a seaworthy vessel, including:

• Safe equipment
• Adequate crew
• Proper maintenance

If unsafe conditions caused your injury, you may recover full tort damages even if no one was directly negligent.

3. Maintenance and Cure

Regardless of fault, your employer must pay:

• Maintenance (daily living expenses)
• Cure (medical treatment until maximum medical improvement)

Employers often underpay or wrongfully terminate benefits. We aggressively pursue full maintenance and cure and penalties for bad-faith denial.

Why Maritime Cases Require Specialized Legal Experience

Maritime injury cases are governed by federal maritime law, not state workers’ compensation systems. These cases involve:

• Admiralty jurisdiction and venue disputes
• Complex employer-vessel ownership structures
• International crews and flag-of-convenience issues
• Medical causation across multiple providers
• Long-term disability and future earnings analysis

Unlike ordinary personal injury firms, maritime injury lawyers must understand vessel operations, maritime regulations, and industry practices in fishing, towing, shipping, and offshore service sectors.

Serving Injured Mariners Throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska

Although based in Seattle, we represent injured maritime workers from:

• Puget Sound and coastal Washington
• Oregon ports and shipyards
• Alaska fishing fleets and processing vessels
• Offshore supply operations
• West Coast cargo shipping routes

We routinely handle cases involving injuries that occur far from shore, including in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, where rescue delays and harsh conditions often worsen injuries.

What to Do After a Vessel Injury

If you were injured at sea or aboard a vessel:

1. Report the injury immediately to your supervisor
2. Seek medical care and follow treatment recommendations
3. Do not give recorded statements to company insurers without legal advice
4. Do not accept early settlements before understanding long-term consequences
5. Consult a maritime injury attorney as soon as possible

Shipowners often move quickly to limit liability and influence medical care. Early legal representation protects your rights and preserves critical evidence.

Damages Available in Maritime Injury Claims

Depending on your case, compensation may include:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost wages and loss of earning capacity
• Pain, suffering, and disability
• Vocational retraining
• Wrongful death benefits for surviving families

Serious maritime injuries frequently involve spinal damage, orthopedic trauma, traumatic brain injuries, and permanent physical limitations. Proper valuation requires medical experts and economic analysis tailored to maritime careers.

Experience Matters in Jones Act Litigation

Maritime injury litigation is highly technical and aggressively defended. Successful cases require:

• Knowledge of Coast Guard and OSHA maritime regulations
• Understanding of vessel maintenance and safety practices
• Access to maritime experts and accident reconstruction
• Familiarity with federal court admiralty procedures

We prepare every case as if it will go to trial, which strengthens settlement negotiations and ensures insurers take claims seriously.

Speak With a Seattle Maritime Injury Lawyer

If you or a family member has been injured while working at sea, you do not have to face shipowners and insurance companies alone. Maritime law was designed to protect seamen because of the dangerous conditions they face—and those protections only work when properly enforced.

We offer confidential consultations to evaluate your rights under the Jones Act and maritime law, explain your options, and develop a strategy to pursue full compensation.

Contact MarineInjuryLaw.com today to speak with an experienced Seattle Jones Act lawyer serving injured seamen throughout Washington, Oregon, and Alaska.