Testimonials

• Brian, your book is a "what to do, and what not to do" guide.  Your book was a real eye-opener.  My company turned on me as soon as they realized I was seriously injured.  If I had read your book sooner, I would have avoided a lot of costly mistakes.  They really have a "bag" of tricks waiting on an injured worker.  I found everything in your book to be true.  These companies have a "kennel of pit bull attorneys" who attack injured workers legally, and use every trick in the book to keep from paying medical bills.  Captain Jim VickersMississippi

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What is the Jones Act definition of a seaman?

A: According to the Act, in order to be considered a seaman, he or she must perform duties contributing to a vessel’s operation, navigation and mission. 

The Supreme Court has traditionally ruled that a worker must serve over 30 percent of his or her time in duties connected to the navigation of a vessel in order to be classified as a seaman.

A seaman does not necessarily have to be aboard the vessel when injured to be covered under the Act as long as the vessel is involved in navigation during the hours of operation.

Pilots, longshoremen and those working on fixed platforms are generally not regarded as seamen.

The nature of service and relationship to the vessel are determining factors in a seaman’s status, not  the location of where the injury occurred.