Learn more about Maximum Medical Improvement under the Jones Act

A maritime law firm like Montiel Hodge can help if you are an employer of a seaman who has sustained an injury on an offshore rig, jack-up rig, or other types of maritime vessel. Like workers' compensation on land, maritime lawyers in Louisiana will ensure that your company is appropriately defended when sued for maritime personal injury under the Jones Act.

The Jones Act

The Jones Act awards seamen with legal rights that state they can receive maintenance and cure benefits from their employer should they be injured while on the job. To understand the Jones Act, it’s wise to have a maritime lawyer on your side - we are the experts on an employer’s rights and will do everything in our power to safeguard them.

 In some cases, the employee may try to file frivolous suits under the Jones Act, meaning they will try to take advantage of an employer’s statutory obligations in paying damages. At Montiel Hodge, we won’t let that happen. We see through employees’ tactics and will help to mitigate exposure and defend against those baseless claims.

Maximum Medical Improvement

Maximum medical improvement doesn’t necessarily mean that an employee is completely healed. Instead, it refers to the point that their injury or illness reaches where they can't improve. When an employee gets to this point, an employer is no longer under the obligation to pay for any further medical treatments.

 To ensure the correct diagnosis of your employee’s health status, it’s imperative to consult with a maritime accident lawyer.

What You Need to Know

Here are a few other details that are important to note about the Jones Act:

 ●      If the injury or sickness is work-related,  an employee is entitled to receive benefits. Your employer must pay for your medical treatments if you were injured on a sea vessel.

●      Maintenance is the money an employee is compensated while they cannot work. This usually means the amount it costs them to live on land the same way they would at sea.

●      Cure is the amount payable for an injured employee’s medical treatments. This obligation is limited to the point maximum medical improvement is reached.

Maritime Lawyers in Louisiana

Accidents are just as likely on the sea as on land, and we ensure employers are adequately protected. Get in touch with a maritime defense attorney at Montiel Hodge today for assistance on your case.