Jones Act Claim Lawyers in Gulfport, MS

If you have been hurt on a vessel or in the service of a vessel, you should contact the Mississippi Jones Act claims attorneys at The Wetzel Law Firm immediately to explore what remedies are available to you.


A seaman can file a lawsuit against his or her employer under the Jones Act to achieve a greater recovery of damages that may otherwise be unavailable under most other bodies of law. Our attorneys can help you seek compensation under the Jones Act, so you can move forward with financial security.

Maritime Accidents and the Jones Act in Mississippi

Mississippi supports one of the largest maritime industries in the United States. Maritime workers are entitled to take advantage of a unique body of law called the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, also known as the Jones Act. Unlike nearly every other body of law, the Jones Act allows an injured worker to sue an employer for the employer’s or another employee’s negligence at work. An employer has a duty to exercise care by providing a reasonably safe work environment, training about safety in the workplace and adequate equipment.
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The Jones Act allows an injured worker to sue his or her employer for:

• Pain and suffering
• Mental and emotional anguish
• Past lost wages​

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Who Is Covered by the Jones Act?

​Unlike the workers’ compensation scheme, which only allows for workers’ compensation benefits, the Jones Act offers an injured employee a far greater scope for recovery. The Jones Act applies to employees who are injured in the service of a vessel or fleet of vessels, when they contribute to the mission of this vessel. Under current law, a vessel includes:
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• Jack-up rigs
• Semisubmersible rigs
• Ships
• Drill barges
• River casinos
• Tugboats
• Shrimp boats
• Fishing boats
• Trollers
• Tankers
• Crew boats
• Utility boats
• Offshore support vessels
• Water taxis

​If the injured worker is working aboard one of these vessels and his or her work contributes in any way to the overall mission of that vessel, then the worker is entitled to sue his or her employer and/or co-workers for injuries resulting from their negligence. In addition to workers injured aboard vessels, people who spend more than 30 percent of their time aboard an identifiable vessel or fleet of vessels may qualify as Jones Act seamen, even if they were hurt while on land or while traveling to work aboard these vessels. A Jones Act seaman does not lose his status as a seaman simply because he was injured on land.

Contact an Offshore Injury Lawyer Today

We take all of our cases on a contingency fee basis. This means it will cost you nothing to have an attorney on your case. We collect our fee when you collect from the person or people responsible for your injuries. Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation.

​Go to Maritime Injuries Overview.