What is a Maritime Lawyer, Exactly?
All doctors don't perform open-heart surgery. And all lawyers don't handle maritime cases. If you have a maritime injury or Jones Act case, and you're looking for legal representation, you need to know the difference between a "maritime lawyer" or "Jones Act" lawyer and other lawyers.
A maritime lawyer, or a Jones Act lawyer, as the names suggest, is someone who practices "maritime law." Maritime law governs cases that occur in the waterways of the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, or at sea.
Maritime law is NOT like land-based law. It is highly specialized. It is based on case law, statutes, and interpretations of cases and statutes that may literally be hundreds of years old. In the United States, for instance, maritime law has developed literally since the founding of the Republic. And U.S. maritime law is based on and relies on cases, statutes, and traditions that pre-date the United States itself.
You should be very careful when selecting a lawyer to handle a Jones Act case or maritime law case. There are pitfalls and traps that canny defense lawyers and companies can use to limit or even eliminate recovery for damages.
When interviewing a lawyer for a Jones Act or maritime law injury claim, think about asking these questions:
1. How many Jones Act or maritime law cases have you handled?
2. Are you board-certified in any area of law?
3. Have you written any articles on the Jones Act or maritime law?
4. Do you have the experience and resources to take on the maritime employer and its insurance company?
5. What is your track record in maritime and Jones Act cases?
6. Are you going to try to settle the case quickly and cheaply or is your goal to obtain the maximum fair compensation?
7. Do you have any former or current clients that would be willing to vouch for your abilities?
This is just a partial list of questions. The bottom line is that you wouldn't trust your heart with a doctor who didn't treat heart conditions. You shouldn't trust your Jones Act or maritime case with a lawyer that doesn't regularly handle such cases.
A maritime lawyer, or a Jones Act lawyer, as the names suggest, is someone who practices "maritime law." Maritime law governs cases that occur in the waterways of the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, or at sea.
Maritime law is NOT like land-based law. It is highly specialized. It is based on case law, statutes, and interpretations of cases and statutes that may literally be hundreds of years old. In the United States, for instance, maritime law has developed literally since the founding of the Republic. And U.S. maritime law is based on and relies on cases, statutes, and traditions that pre-date the United States itself.
You should be very careful when selecting a lawyer to handle a Jones Act case or maritime law case. There are pitfalls and traps that canny defense lawyers and companies can use to limit or even eliminate recovery for damages.
When interviewing a lawyer for a Jones Act or maritime law injury claim, think about asking these questions:
1. How many Jones Act or maritime law cases have you handled?
2. Are you board-certified in any area of law?
3. Have you written any articles on the Jones Act or maritime law?
4. Do you have the experience and resources to take on the maritime employer and its insurance company?
5. What is your track record in maritime and Jones Act cases?
6. Are you going to try to settle the case quickly and cheaply or is your goal to obtain the maximum fair compensation?
7. Do you have any former or current clients that would be willing to vouch for your abilities?
This is just a partial list of questions. The bottom line is that you wouldn't trust your heart with a doctor who didn't treat heart conditions. You shouldn't trust your Jones Act or maritime case with a lawyer that doesn't regularly handle such cases.
