A man from Louisiana recently filed a Jones Act lawsuit alleging serious maritime injuries, stating defendant Chet Morrison Contractors LLC failed to provide a safe work environment that ultimately contributed to the incident.

The Jones Act lawsuit alleges the claimant suffered a multitude of maritime injuries after falling off the motor vessel CM 15 vessel, allegedly due to the towlines not being properly secured.

Plaintiff Timothy L. says he worked on the CM 15 vessel as one of its crew members and performed a variety of occupational duties expected in this position.

However, Timothy reportedly suffered serious injuries on Dec. 13, 2018, when the anchor was dropped. He alleges the towlines were not secured, and as a result he was knocked into the Gulf of Mexico.

Timothy reportedly nearly drowned from the incident, which caused him to suffer disabling injuries to his back, shoulders, and legs. Timothy has since been recovering from the incident and opted to seek compensation under the Jones Act.

Overview of Jones Act

The Jones Act was enacted by the United States in 1920 to help protect the rights of seamen by providing them a legal route to seek compensation if they suffer illness or injuries while aboard the ships.

Under the Jones Act, parties ranging from a single ship captain, crew members, to an entire shipping company could be held liable for any of their seamen’s injuries.

The Jones Act states that any seaman who suffers an injury of a personal nature while he is working as a seaman has the opportunity to file a lawsuit and receive a trial by jury.

It is important to note that the Jones Act only applies to workers who spend at least 30 percent of their time working aboard one ship or several vessels owned by a single party. A variety of injuries and incidents covered under the Jones Act include:

• Capsizing
• Collisions
• Fires
• Explosions
• Accidents caused by rough seas
• Slips and falls
• Food poisoning
• Falling objects
• Injuries from onboard construction

The Jones Act also focuses on the regulation of maritime commerce, including the transport of people or goods between ports within the same country. However in the context of this lawsuit, the Jones Act is being applied to the rights of an injured seaman.

According to the Jones Act lawsuit, Chet Morrison Contractors allegedly failed to provide a safe working environment, failing to ensure Timothy and other employees had proper assistance for their jobs and failed to ensure that the towlines and other parts of the ship were secured.

The Jones Act lawsuit ultimately alleges that Timothy’s maritime injuries could have been avoided had Chet Morrison Contractors taken adequate precautions.

Timothy is seeking compensation for all past and future medical expenses, along with other relevant damages related to his work injuries.

This Jones Act lawsuit is Case No. 2:19-cv-01609-JCZ-JCW, in the U.S. District Court of Eastern Louisiana.