Metairie Jones Act Lawyer

Jones Act representation grounded in over 40 years of work on behalf of injured maritime workers in Metairie and the surrounding region.

If you were hurt while working on a vessel in or around Metairie, LA, then your situation is nothing like a standard workplace injury claim. Maritime law runs on its own rules. The Jones Act gives qualifying workers a right to sue their employer for negligence that most workers in other industries don’t have. Our Metairie, LA Jones Act lawyer has represented injured people across Louisiana for over 40 years. At Kiefer & Kiefer, we take maritime cases on contingency. So you owe nothing unless we recover for you. Contact our office to schedule a free consultation.

Jones Act Lawyer Metairie, LA

What does a Jones Act attorney do for me when handling my case? The Jones Act is a federal statute. It gives qualifying workers the right to bring a negligence claim against their employer directly, which is something ordinary workers’ comp laws don’t allow. But not every worker near the water qualifies. Courts look at your connection to a vessel in navigation, the nature of your duties, and roughly how much of your working time was spent in service of that vessel. If any of these do not apply, then the Jones Act may not apply to you.

Types of Jones Act Cases We Handle in Metairie

Maritime injury law issues can involve many different situations. Here are examples of what we can handle:

• Jones Act negligence claims. Your employer has a duty to provide a reasonably safe place to work. If they didn’t, and you were hurt because of it, that’s the foundation and history of the Jones Act negligence claim. The causation standard here is lower than in ordinary civil cases. Any part played by your employer’s negligence is enough to warrant legal action against them.

• Unseaworthiness claims. This is a separate theory of recovery. A vessel owner has to maintain a seaworthy ship. If the vessel itself, its equipment, or the crew wasn’t reasonably fit for the work being done, the owner can be held liable. Negligence doesn’t have to be proven, as the duty is absolute.

• Wrongful death in maritime cases. When someone dies in a maritime accident, the family’s rights depend on where it happened, who employed the worker, and which federal statute governs. The Jones Act, the Death on the High Seas Act, and general maritime law can all be a factor.

Why Choose Kiefer & Kiefer as My Jones Act Lawyer in Metairie, LA

Chris Bruno’s Background in Louisiana Law and the Courtroom

Chris Bruno spent decades on the bench as a Louisiana judge before coming back to practice. That’s not a background most personal injury attorneys have. When you’ve been in the judge’s position, you see cases differently. You understand how a record is built, what carries weight, and where cases fall apart on the other side. That changes how you prepare.

Chris handles Jones Act and maritime injury cases at Kiefer & Kiefer. He earned his law degree from Tulane University Law School in 1988 and his undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University in 1984. He’s admitted to practice in Louisiana and has held leadership roles including Chair of the Domestic Law Section of the New Orleans Bar Association. Martindale-Hubbell has given him an AV Rating, which is their highest mark for ethics and professional ability. He is a Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate through the National Board of Trial Advocacy and a member of the St. Thomas More Society.

Our personal injury lawyer in Metairie, LA takes Jones Act cases seriously. His knowledge as a judge gives him an advanced perspective on how to approach these cases and what strategies can get his clients a win in court.

A Track Record Built Over Four Decades

Kiefer & Kiefer has recovered millions for seriously injured clients across Louisiana. Our case results include a $4.2 million recovery for a catastrophic workplace injury, $2.3 million in a work-related accident involving neck and back surgeries, and $1.9 million in a wrongful death case arising from chemical exposure. For more information about how we can help you, reach out to us for a free consultation.

What Is Important To Understand About Jones Act Cases?

Charges, Remedies, and Liability in Jones Act Cases

Maritime law gives injured seamen three distinct paths to recovery. You can pursue Jones Act negligence, unseaworthiness, and maintenance and cure at the same time. They’re separate theories, and each one has different requirements. Here are a few things worth understanding as your case proceeds:

• Jones Act negligence has a lower causation bar than ordinary civil negligence. If your employer’s failure played any part in your injury, that can be enough.
• Unseaworthiness is strict liability. The vessel owner’s duty is absolute, so it doesn’t matter whether they knew about the problem.
• Maintenance and cure runs from the date of injury until you hit maximum medical improvement, regardless of fault on either side.
• Comparative fault can reduce what you recover, but it doesn’t eliminate your claim. Louisiana courts apply comparative fault principles in maritime cases.
• Punitive damages are considered when an employer refuses to pay maintenance and cure willfully. Some employers test injured workers by cutting benefits early and hoping for no pushback.

Important Aspects of a Jones Act Case

Seaman status is the first factor for a Jones Act case. The courts use a fact-specific test that assesses your connection to a vessel in navigation, both in terms of how much time you spent aboard and what duties you were performing. If you don’t clear that threshold, the Jones Act may not apply. Here are a few other aspects that can come up in a maritime case:

• Evidence preservation matters from the first day. Vessel logs, inspection records, and crew documentation can vanish or be altered. Owners and their insurers may collect information before an injured worker has had a chance to speak to anyone about their situation.
• Company doctors are not neutral. Employers sometimes push injured maritime workers toward physicians they’ve already chosen. Reports from those doctors can work against your claim if they are biased to favor the employer. 
• Your initial statements count. What you say in the hours after an injury can get used, and sometimes in an effort against you. We suggest talking to us before you give anyone a recorded statement.

Jones Act Case Timeline

No two Jones Act maritime cases move at the same pace, but there are common stages worth knowing:

• Right after the injury: Report it to your employer in writing and get medical attention. Do not give a recorded statement before speaking with an attorney.
• Early investigation: We obtain vessel logs, maintenance records, employment documentation, and witness accounts. For serious injuries, we bring in maritime safety investigators.
• Maintenance and cure: If your employer hasn’t started benefits or stopped them early, we make a formal demand and pursue every remedy available for an improper refusal.
• Filing suit: The Jones Act carries a three-year federal statute of limitations for most claims. Claims involving government-owned vessels may require earlier notice, so please don’t assume you have time to wait.
• Resolution: Some cases settle through negotiation or mediation. Others go to trial. We prepare every case as if it’s going in front of a jury, because sometimes it does.

What to Bring to Your Jones Act Consultation

Bring what you have to your appointment with us. But don’t worry about not having everything you need just yet, as we can gather that at a later time.

• Incident or accident reports filed with your employer.
• Any medical records or treatment notes from the injury.
• Your employment contract or seaman’s articles if you have them.
• Written timeline of what happened and your job duties.

Louisiana and Federal Legal Resources for Jones Act Cases

Jones Act claims fall under federal maritime law, but Louisiana’s own civil statutes intersect with them in ways that matter, particularly around fault and damages. Here are a few resources worth knowing:

• U.S. Department of Labor Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs: Oversees the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, which governs maritime workers who don’t qualify as seamen under the Jones Act.
• U.S. Coast Guard: Sets vessel inspection and safety standards that frequently become relevant in unseaworthiness cases.
• MARAD, the Maritime Administration: Provides information on federal maritime programs and vessel operations relevant to Jones Act coverage questions.
• Congress.gov: The full text of the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 is available.
• Louisiana Legislature’s Online Database: Louisiana’s comparative fault statutes and Civil Code provisions governing negligence and damages are searchable.

Reach Out to Kiefer & Kiefer to Schedule a Consultation

Maritime injury cases move on strict timelines and the evidence may start to disappear. If you were hurt working on or near the water in Metairie, LA, the sooner you get counsel involved, the better positioned you’ll be for a fair outcome. We work on contingency, and there are no fees unless we recover for you. Contact us to set up a free consultation and guide us through what happened.