Texas Maritime & Jones Act Lawyers

If you were hurt offshore, on a rig, or on a vessel along the Texas Gulf Coast, you are not covered by ordinary workers' compensation — you are protected by powerful federal maritime laws that most lawyers never handle. Here is what changes everything: under the Jones Act and general maritime law, an injured seaman can recover far more than a land-based worker, and a maritime lawyer usually costs you nothing up front and is paid only if you win. Employers and their insurers move fast to lock down logs, take statements, and minimize what they pay. An experienced Texas maritime attorney moves faster — preserving evidence, protecting your maintenance and cure, and fighting for the full value of your case.

Why Maritime Law — Not Workers' Comp — Governs Offshore Injuries

Workers hurt on the water are covered by federal maritime law, which is far more generous than state workers' compensation. Texas has one of the busiest stretches of coastline in the country — offshore drilling rigs, supply and crew boats, tugs and barges, shrimp and fishing vessels, and the ports of Galveston, Corpus Christi, and Beaumont–Port Arthur. When a worker is injured in this industry, the case is usually not decided by the Texas Labor Code at all. Instead, it falls under bodies of federal law built specifically for the sea: the Jones Act, the centuries-old general maritime doctrines of maintenance and cure and unseaworthiness, and the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act for non-seamen. These laws can allow recovery for losses that workers' comp never pays, which is exactly why having the right lawyer matters.

What Is the Jones Act and Who Qualifies as a "Seaman"?

The Jones Act lets a seaman injured by the negligence of an employer or crewmate sue for damages, including lost earnings, pain and suffering, and medical care. Codified at 46 U.S.C. § 30104, the Jones Act is a fault-based claim — but the standard of proof for causation is famously low, sometimes described as whether the negligence played any part, however slight, in causing the injury. To qualify as a "seaman," a worker generally must contribute to the work of a vessel and have a connection to a vessel in navigation (or a fleet) that is substantial in both duration and nature. Whether someone is a seaman is one of the most heavily litigated questions in maritime law, and the answer often decides which law governs the case. A skilled maritime attorney builds the record to establish seaman status.

Maintenance and Cure: Benefits You Are Owed Regardless of Fault

If you are injured or fall ill while in the service of a vessel, your employer owes maintenance and cure no matter who was at fault. Maintenance is a daily allowance for food and lodging while you recover ashore; cure pays for your reasonable medical treatment until you reach maximum medical improvement. These are among the oldest rights in maritime law. Employers sometimes pay too little maintenance or cut off cure too early — and when they do so unreasonably, a court can award additional damages, including attorney's fees. A maritime lawyer makes sure these benefits are paid in full and on time while your larger Jones Act and unseaworthiness claims move forward.

The Unseaworthiness Doctrine

A vessel owner is responsible if the vessel or its equipment is not reasonably fit for its intended use — even without any proof of negligence. Unseaworthiness is a separate claim from the Jones Act and applies a near strict-liability standard. Examples include defective or worn gear, an unsafe deck, inadequate or poorly trained crew, missing safety equipment, or unsafe work methods that an owner allowed. Because the proof requirements differ, most serious offshore injury cases are brought under the Jones Act and unseaworthiness at the same time, giving the injured worker two paths to recovery.

Jones Act vs. the Longshore Act (LHWCA): Which One Covers You?

Seamen are covered by the Jones Act; dock and harbor workers who are not seamen are usually covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. The LHWCA is a federal workers' compensation system administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that covers longshoremen, ship repairers, shipbuilders, and harbor workers injured on or near navigable waters. The two systems differ sharply:

Getting this classification right is critical — and employers and insurers sometimes push an injured worker toward the wrong, lower-paying box. A maritime lawyer determines which law truly applies to your job.

Fatal Offshore Accidents and the Death on the High Seas Act

When a worker is killed on the high seas, the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA) provides a wrongful death remedy for surviving family members. DOHSA generally applies to deaths beyond three nautical miles from shore and allows certain dependents to recover their financial losses. Fatal offshore accidents can involve DOHSA together with the Jones Act, unseaworthiness, and general maritime survival claims — an overlapping web of federal law that no family should have to navigate alone. An experienced maritime attorney identifies every available remedy and the right court.

How the Right Maritime Lawyer Wins These Cases

Offshore injury cases are won or lost on evidence and on knowing which law applies. The right Texas maritime lawyer will:

• Move fast to preserve evidence — vessel logs, maintenance records, ECDIS/voyage data, and crew statements before they disappear.
• Establish seaman status and pursue the Jones Act and unseaworthiness together.
• Protect your maintenance and cure and pursue extra damages if benefits are wrongly cut off.
• Identify every liable party — employer, vessel owner, and equipment manufacturers.
• Handle the company and its insurer so you are not pressured into an early, low settlement.

Maritime injury law is a specialized federal field. The lawyer we connect you with handles these cases on a contingency basis — no fee unless you win — so cost is never a barrier to getting help.

Related Help

A maritime injury can touch other areas too:

• Personal injury lawyers — the broader pillar for any serious injury caused by someone else.
• Wrongful death lawyers — if a maritime accident took the life of a loved one.
• All practice areas — browse every kind of lawyer we can connect you with in Texas.

Frequently Asked Questions About Texas Maritime & Jones Act Lawyers

What is the Jones Act and who does it protect?

The Jones Act (46 U.S.C. § 30104) is a federal law that lets a seaman who is injured because of an employer's or co-worker's negligence sue for damages. It protects workers who spend a substantial part of their time working on a vessel in navigation, such as crew on offshore rigs, tugs, barges, supply boats, and other vessels. Unlike a typical workers' compensation system, the Jones Act is a fault-based claim that allows fuller recovery, including lost wages, pain and suffering, and medical care.

What is maintenance and cure?

Maintenance and cure is an ancient maritime right owed to a seaman who becomes injured or ill while in the service of a vessel, regardless of fault. Maintenance is a daily living allowance to cover food and lodging while you recover, and cure pays for medical treatment until you reach maximum medical improvement. These benefits are owed even if the injury was not the employer's fault, and a lawyer can pursue extra damages if an employer wrongfully delays or denies them.

What is the unseaworthiness doctrine?

Unseaworthiness is a separate maritime claim that holds a vessel owner responsible when the vessel or its equipment is not reasonably fit for its intended use. This can include defective gear, an unsafe deck, inadequate crew, or unsafe work methods. Unlike the Jones Act, an unseaworthiness claim does not require proof of negligence, only that the unsafe condition caused the injury. Many offshore injury cases are brought under both theories.

Am I covered by the Jones Act or the Longshore Act?

It depends on your job. The Jones Act covers seamen, meaning crew members assigned to a vessel in navigation. The Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) covers maritime workers who are not seamen, such as longshoremen, harbor workers, shipbuilders, and dock workers injured on or near navigable waters. The distinction is critical because it changes which law applies and what you can recover, and it is one of the first things a maritime lawyer determines.

What is the Death on the High Seas Act?

The Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA) is a federal law that provides a wrongful death remedy when a person is killed on the high seas, generally more than three nautical miles from the U.S. shore. It allows certain surviving family members to recover for their financial losses. Fatal offshore accidents can involve DOHSA, the Jones Act, and other maritime laws at the same time, so an experienced maritime attorney is essential.

How long do I have to file a Texas maritime injury claim?

Most Jones Act and general maritime claims have a three-year statute of limitations under federal law, but some claims and certain employers, such as government or public entities, can carry much shorter deadlines. Evidence on a vessel can disappear quickly. Because the deadlines are technical and depend on the type of claim, it is best to talk to a maritime lawyer as soon as possible so no rights are lost.

How much does a Jones Act lawyer cost?

Most Texas maritime and Jones Act lawyers work on a contingency fee, which means you pay no attorney fee up front and the lawyer is paid a percentage of the recovery only if they win or settle your case. If there is no recovery, you generally owe no attorney fee. The referral through the Texas Lawyer Referral Service is free, and the first consultation is usually free as well.

What should I do after an offshore injury in Texas?

Report the injury and seek medical care, and be careful about signing statements or settlement papers from the employer or its insurer before getting advice. Because vessel logs, equipment, and witness memories can change fast, it is best to talk to a maritime lawyer quickly so evidence can be preserved and your maintenance and cure benefits are protected. A lawyer deals with the company so you can focus on recovering.

How do I get a Texas maritime lawyer right now?

Call or text 512-872-4400 any time, day or night. You will be connected with an experienced maritime and Jones Act lawyer serving your area anywhere in Texas. The referral is free, most consultations are free, and maritime injury cases are typically handled on a no-fee-unless-you-win basis.