Working at sea is very dangerous. Along with strong currents and hurricanes, there is the increased risk of being without medical help for days if you’re stranded.

This is all too familiar for one of our clients and his co-workers on his scallop fishing boat. They were working out in the ocean one day when a large freighter came out of nowhere and cut their boat in half.

The Merchant Marine Act—better known as the Jones Act—is similar to workers’ compensation insurance, but it is intended to provide benefits to maritime workers who are masters or crew members of vessels and are injured in the course of performing job-related duties.