Johnson & Combs, PC
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Commercial Litigation
Johnson & Combs, PC also handles commercial litigation cases including:
Breaches of contract
Employment disputes
Business dissolutions
Interference with business relationships
Disputes over non-compete clauses
Civil RICO
Breach of fiduciary duty
Franchise issues
Shareholder issues
Partnership disputes
Debt collection
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Seaman's Injury/Jones Act/Unseaworthiness Claims
Commercial fishermen and other maritime workers make their living in an extremely rugged and often dangerous environment. As a consequence they face a particularily high risk of on-the-job injury. Seamen live a life that is difficult for land workers to understand, and may be days away from medical care, should an emergency occur. Because of this there are several special legal remedies available to help ensure that injured seamen get appropriate compensation and care following an injury. If you are in injured maritime worker, the attorneys at Johnson & Combs, PC can help you to know and protect your legal rights.
See The Jones Act
The Jones Act
The Jones Act allows injured seamen to seek compensation for injuries caused by the negligence of their employers or co-workers during the course of their employment on a vessel. As any seaman knows, a ship can be a very dangerous place to work. The Jones Act reflects that reality of maritime work, and a seaman's employer may be liable for even a small breach of duty which contributes to a seaman's injury.
In addition to compensation for injuries caused by negligence, an injured seaman may also make a claim against the vessel's owner if the vessel was not seaworthy. An employer may also be liable for failing to provide a seaman with adequate medical care.
Jones Act litigation seeks to recover damages for both past and future economic and non-economic losses.
See Unseaworthiness Claims
Unseaworthy Vessels
The owner of a vessel owes a seaman an absolute duty to provide a seaworthy vessel. The mere fact that a vessel is not in imminent danger of sinking does not mean that it is "seaworthy". A vessel is seaworthy if it is reasonably fit for its intended use, is equipped with appropriate equipment and safety gear, has a competent crew, and is a safe place to live and work. Even a vessel that is seaworthy when it leaves shore can become unseaworthy because of the changing conditions during its voyage.
A claim that a vessel is not seaworthy is often brought at the same time as a Jones Act claim.
