River Lawyers
Over 50 Years Combined Experience representing injured workers
in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
The Jones Act
(46 U.S.C. §§30104, 30105, 30106)
46 U.S.C. § 30104. Personal injury to or death of seamen (formerly 46 U.S.C. §688)
A seaman injured in the course of employment or, if the seaman dies from the injury, the personal representative of the seaman may elect to bring a civil action at law, with the right of trial by jury, against the employer. Laws of the United States regulating recovery for personal injury to, or death of, a railway employee apply to an action under this section
46 U.S.C. § 30105. Restriction on recovery by non-citizens and non-resident aliens for incidents in waters of other countries
(a) Definition.--In this section, the term “continental shelf” has the meaning given that term in article I of the 1958 Convention on the Continental Shelf.
(b) Restriction.--Except as provided in subsection (c), a civil action for maintenance and cure or for damages for personal injury or death may not be brought under a maritime law of the United States if--
(1) the individual suffering the injury or death was not a citizen or permanent resident alien of the United States at the time of the incident giving rise to the action;
(2) the incident occurred in the territorial waters or waters overlaying the continental shelf of a country other than the United States; and
(3) the individual suffering the injury or death was employed at the time of the incident by a person engaged in the exploration, development, or production of offshore mineral or energy resources, including drilling, mapping, surveying, diving, pipelaying, maintaining, repairing, constructing, or transporting supplies, equipment, or personnel, but not including transporting those resources by a vessel constructed or adapted primarily to carry oil in bulk in the cargo spaces.
(c) Nonapplication.--Subsection (b) does not apply if the individual bringing the action establishes that a remedy is not available under the laws of--
(1) the country asserting jurisdiction over the area in which the incident occurred; or
(2) the country in which the individual suffering the injury or death maintained citizenship or residency at the time of the incident.
46 U.S.C. § 30106. Time limit on bringing maritime action for personal injury or death
Except as otherwise provided by law, a civil action for damages for personal injury or death arising out of a maritime tort must be brought within 3 years after the cause of action arose.
Contact Us to Learn More
At the Moschetta Law Firm, P.C., we understand Personal Injury & Maritime law. To learn more about how we can aggressively assert your rights; contact The Moschetta Law Firm, P.C. your personal injury attorneys at l 1-877-472-1578. We offer free initial legal consultation. Evening or weekend appointments are available upon request.
The Moschetta Law Firm, P.C. in Washington, Pennsylvania handles cases along the major rivers in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky, including the Ohio River, Kanawha River, Allegheny River and Monongahela River.
Our maritime & personal injury lawyers represent clients in:
Pennsylvania: Washington, Pittsburgh and Beaver
Ohio: East Liverpool, Gallipolis, Marietta and Steubenville
West Virginia: Ashland, Charleston, Huntington, Marietta, Marshall, Mason, Morgantown, Parkersburg, Point Pleasant, Weirton and Wheeling.
