If you are a Jones Act seaman, you may or may not be aware that you are entitled to certain special benefits that other workers are not entitled to in the event of an injury or illness.
What are these benefits?
Maintenance, typically $30-$40 per day, is intended to cover room and board from the time of your injury until the time you reach maximum medical improvement, commonly referred to as “MMI.”
MMI is a point at which your treating doctor has declared you are either recovered and fit to return to work or that your condition has reached a point that it will no longer improve even with continued medical treatment. That means you can still be hurt and be found to have reached MMI.
Cure refers to the duty of Jones Act employers to pay for any reasonable and necessary medical treatment for an injured or ill seaman until that individual reaches MMI.
2. Wages Through the End of Your Hitch
If you are injured or become ill while in the service of a vessel, you are entitled to receive your wages through the end of your scheduled hitch.
3. Damages for Personal Injury
If your maritime injury was caused by the negligence of your employer or an unseaworthy condition onboard the vessel, you are entitled to seek compensation in the form of damages.
Damages you may be eligible to recover include lost earning capacity, future medical expenses, pain and suffering, physical impairment and many more.
These are just a few of the rights afforded to you as a Jones Act seaman.
If you or someone you love has suffered a maritime injury or illness, contact an experienced offshore accident lawyer today to get your questions answered.
