Trial-tested Jones Act lawyers serving injured seamen and their families across Katy, TX.
If you were hurt working offshore or aboard a vessel, the company and its insurer often move quickly to limit what they owe you, sometimes within hours of the injury. A Katy, TX Jones Act lawyer can protect your rights from the start and deal directly with the employer on your behalf. The attorneys at Greenberg Streich Injury Lawyers have spent years on both sides of maritime injury cases, so reach out today for a free, confidential review of your claim.
Jones Act Lawyer Katy, TX
The Jones Act is a federal maritime law that lets injured seamen sue their employer for negligence. It applies to crew members who spend a meaningful part of their work aboard a vessel in navigation, including deckhands, tankermen, dredge workers, and offshore crews. Unlike land-based workers’ compensation, it requires proof that the employer’s negligence played a part in the injury, and it allows recovery for losses that a standard comp claim would never reach.
Seamen hold a special status under maritime law, and courts have long recognized that they take on real risk each time they go to sea. Their employers owe a duty to provide a reasonably safe place to work. Many Katy residents work hitches in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Houston Ship Channel, then come home injured. A Katy Jones Act attorney can explain whether you qualify as a seaman and what your claim may be worth.
Types of Jones Act Cases We Handle in Katy
Maritime work along the Texas coast produces injuries that range from sudden traumatic events to conditions that build over months of hard labor. We represent seamen and offshore workers across the full range of these claims. Some of these workers live in Katy and commute to the coast for their hitches. Below are the matters our Katy Jones Act lawyers handle most often.
- Offshore injuries. Workers on platforms, supply boats, and drilling rigs face heavy equipment, slick decks, and punishing shifts. We investigate what failed, then hold the responsible company accountable for it.
- Maritime injuries. Crew members get hurt by defective gear, unsafe procedures, and short-staffed vessels. We build claims that account for both the immediate harm and the long recovery that follows.
- Boating accidents. Collisions, groundings, and onboard falls injure crew and passengers alike. Our attorneys examine vessel logs, maintenance history, and operator decisions to establish fault.
- Oilfield accidents. Offshore energy work involves pressurized systems, cranes, and flammable material. When a contractor cuts corners, the results are often catastrophic.
- Workplace injuries. Not every maritime injury happens in dramatic fashion. Repetitive lifting, falls, and equipment failures cause serious harm that employers sometimes try to downplay.
- Burn injuries. Fires and chemical exposure aboard vessels and rigs leave lasting damage. These cases demand careful documentation of treatment and future care.
- Explosion accidents. Blasts on vessels and offshore facilities can cause blast trauma, hearing loss, and severe burns. We move fast to preserve evidence before it disappears.
- Brain injuries. A blow to the head offshore can change a worker’s life and earning ability. We work with medical professionals to document the full extent of the damage.
- Wrongful death. When a maritime worker dies on the job, surviving family members may have claims under federal law. We handle these cases with the care that grieving families deserve.
Why Choose Greenberg Streich Injury Lawyers as My Jones Act Lawyer in Katy, TX?
Maritime Experience on Both Sides of the Docket
Mike Streich spent nearly a decade defending vessel owners, offshore companies, and major insurers, including Lloyd’s of London, before he turned to the side of injured workers. He trained at two of the most established maritime firms in Texas and Louisiana, and he once served as in-house counsel for an offshore construction company. Mike takes a hands-on approach with the clients he represents. Matt Greenberg is a Texas trial lawyer with a record in high-stakes injury and death cases.
Together they understand how maritime defendants investigate, evaluate, and try to limit what they pay. Knowing that playbook from the inside lets us see problems coming and answer them before they cost you. Mike has been named a Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers across multiple years and belongs to the National Trial Lawyers, and he earned his law degree at the University of Houston Law Center.
A Record of Serious Results
Results matter when your future is on the line. Our attorneys have recovered more than $300 million for injured clients across Texas, including a $16 million settlement for a Jones Act seaman who suffered head and brain injuries offshore. When you need a personal injury lawyer in Katy, TX who handles catastrophic maritime claims, experience and preparation make the difference. We take Jones Act cases on a contingency basis, so there are no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. We prepare each maritime claim as if it will be tried, because that is often what moves an insurer to pay fairly.
What Is Important to Understand About a Jones Act Case?
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Jones Act Cases
A Jones Act claim depends on negligence. The injured seaman must show that the employer or a coworker failed to act with reasonable care, and that the failure played some part in causing the injury, even a slight part. A separate maritime claim, unseaworthiness, holds the vessel owner responsible when the ship, its equipment, or its crew were not reasonably fit for their intended use. That causation standard is lower than what an ordinary injury case demands, which is one reason the Jones Act gives seamen stronger footing. Compensation can reach several categories of loss. These may be awarded depending on the facts of your case:
- Medical expenses. Past and future treatment, surgery, therapy, and rehabilitation.
- Lost income. Wages already lost, plus reduced earning capacity going forward.
- Pain and suffering. Physical pain, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life.
- Disfigurement and disability. Scarring, amputation, and permanent physical limitations.
- Maintenance and cure. Daily living costs and medical care an employer owes an injured seaman until maximum medical improvement, regardless of fault.
What Are Important Aspects of a Jones Act Case?
Several issues determine the strength of a maritime claim. Getting them right early often decides what happens later.
- Seaman status. Your connection to a vessel in navigation determines whether the Jones Act applies at all.
- Prompt reporting. Reporting the injury and getting medical care creates a record the defense cannot easily dispute.
- Evidence preservation. Vessel logs, maintenance records, and witness accounts can vanish if no one acts quickly.
- Choice of forum. These claims can be filed in state or federal court, and that decision carries real strategic weight.
What Is the Jones Act Case Timeline?
No two maritime cases move at the same pace. The steps you take after a serious accident shape everything that follows. Most cases move through a recognizable path.
- Report the injury, seek treatment, and begin maintenance and cure.
- Investigate the incident and preserve vessel and employment records.
- File the claim or lawsuit within the deadline that applies.
- Exchange evidence through discovery and consult medical and industry professionals.
- Negotiate a settlement, or proceed to trial when the offer falls short.
What Should You Bring to Your Jones Act Consultation?
You don’t need a perfectly organized file to meet with us. Bring what you have, and we’ll help you gather the rest.
- Any incident or injury report you filed with the employer.
- Medical records, bills, and a list of your providers.
- Pay stubs or tax records that show your earnings.
- Photographs of the vessel, equipment, or scene, if you have them.
- Names and contact details for anyone who saw the injury happen.
The first meeting is a conversation, not a commitment. If your case involves life-altering harm, the questions in our catastrophic injury consultation guide can help you prepare. We will review the facts, answer your questions, and explain your options honestly.
What Are Important Texas Legal Resources for Jones Act Cases?
Maritime injury law blends federal and state rules, and the deadlines are strict. The resources below are starting points for understanding the law, not a substitute for advice about your own situation.
- The Jones Act sets out a seaman’s right to sue an employer for negligence.
- Federal law gives most maritime injury claims a three-year deadline to file suit.
- Texas sets a two-year deadline for most state-law personal injury claims.
- The U.S. Department of Labor explains benefits for longshore and harbor workers who are not seamen.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks fatal workplace injuries, and transportation incidents remain the leading cause.
Reach Out to Greenberg Streich Injury Lawyers to Schedule a Consultation
When you’re ready, we’re here to help you understand your rights as an injured seaman. Greenberg Streich Injury Lawyers represents maritime workers throughout Katy and the Texas coast on a contingency basis, which means no fees unless we recover for you. Contact us to schedule your free consultation, and we will discuss what comes next.
