When a maritime employee has sustained an injury in Mississippi, they may wish to pursue some type of legal compensation. The Jones Act and the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act are both something that can affect them. Here’s more information about both of these acts.
What they are
For those maritime employees that are seeking compensation because of a personal injury, one of these acts might help them. Both of them can provide compensation to those that sustained an injury while they were on the job, but these acts do vary slightly. The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act covers those individuals that were in charge of the crew. The Jones Act is specifically for the other crew members.
How they can help employees
Both of these acts can help maritime employees in a variety of different ways. They allow the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs to review claims to make sure that each injured individual receives the compensation that they should get. They can also assist those that file a dispute by speaking to both parties and making recommendations based on their findings. In addition to all of this, they also have access to something known as the “Special Fund.” This fund pays disability compensation in some circumstances.
If you get injured while leading a maritime crew or while you are completing tasks as a crew member, you do need to know how the Jones Act or the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act can help you. Don’t delay requesting compensation, as you can use it to pay for things like time off you have to take from work and medical procedures to help you recover from your injury.