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Workers' Compensation and Jones Act in Baltimore, Maryland

Written by
ruxandra
June 17th, 2016

Because of its location near the seaside, a lot of people in the state of Maryland are maritime workers. And because this type of job comes with a lot of dangers, the Jones Act was introduced to help workers receive compensation. There is a lot to learn about workers' compensation and the Jones Act in Baltimore, Maryland, which can help ensure you can recover damages for pain and suffering, lost wages, medical expenses, mental anguish and much more.

Your personal injury lawyer from Baltimore, Maryland, can also help you file your claim and increase the chances of your claim to be approved.

About the Jones Act

Any Baltimore injury lawyer is familiar with the Jones Act and that it represents federal law, even though it can apply on a state level. The Jonas Act permits injured sea workers to ask for compensation. It is crucial to know the specifics of the Jonas Act because it will help you receive your compensation if you decide to contact a personal injury attorney from Baltimore.

The Jonas Act means that the law understands the dangers of maritime work and that it represents a high-risk work.All ships and water-going vessels fall under this act and make it mandatory for vessels to be in seaworthy condition permanently. This means that the vessel owner and also vessel crew (including the captain) are liable if found negligent for another worker's injury.

Your Baltimore injury attorney can explain to you more about how you can prove the negligence of the person responsible for your injuries.

Is the vessel seaworthy?

You can ask your personal injury attorney from Baltimore, Maryland, about this, but they will tell you that a maritime vessel does not have to be close to sinking to be considered unworthy. And the Jonas Act was introduced exactly for when the ship is not seaworthy. But how can you tell if a ship is seaworthy or not?Maritime vessels need to pass a constant evaluation to be considered navigable, including:

  • Have the appropriate safety gear equipment
  • Have a competent professional crew
  • Be fit for the intended use
  • Be a safe place to live and work

If you think your ship does not meet these criteria and is not seaworthy contact your Baltimore injury lawyer and see what you can do to change that.

The difference between Jonas Act and workers' comp

In Baltimore, the main difference between Jonas Act and workers' comp is the maintenance & cure benefit. A This benefit states that a sea worker that was injured on a vessel must receive a daily allowance between $10 and $40 (maintenance) regardless of who is responsible for the injury. This allowance is equal to food and shelter the sea worker should have received if he did not suffer the injury.

In addition to this, your Baltimore injury attorney will also tell you that your employer has to provide you with the appropriate medical and rehabilitation care until you recover as much as medically possible (cure benefit).

For more information about Jonas Act and how you can receive compensation for your injuries, contact the best personal injury lawyer from Baltimore, Maryland at (443) 569-3950 or send an email at chris@annapolisaccidentattorney.com. You will get a free consultation of your case.