What are my rights if I am a Jones Act Seaman injured aboard a Special Mission Ship?

Special Mission Ship Jones Act Seaman:

What is the Military Sealift Command's Special Mission Program?

Military Sealift Command's Special Mission Program has 25 ships that provide operating platforms and services for a wide variety of U.S. military and other U.S. government missions.

Oceanographic and hydrographic surveys, underwater surveillance, missile tracking, acoustic surveys, command and control, and submarine and special warfare support are just a few of the specialized services provided to:

* U.S. Fleet Forces Command
* The Oceanographer of the Navy
* Commander, Undersea Surveillance
* The U.S. Air Force
* Naval Sea Systems Command
* Navy's Strategic Systems Programs Office
* Naval Special Warfare Command
* Commander, Navy Installations Command
* The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
* Commander, Submarine Force

Most special mission ships are operated by civilian mariners who work for private companies under contract to MSC. Only three ships, USS Emory S. Land, USS Mount Whitney and USNS Zeus, are crewed by MSC's civil service mariners.


Military Sealift Command and the Jones Act

The civil service crew members and officers aboard Military Sealift Command ships are Jones Act Seaman. If they are injured aboard the vessel they have most of the same rights that Jones Act Seaman have that work aboard private vessels. If you are injured aboard a USA owed vessel then your case will probably fall under the Suits in Admiralty Act or the Public Vessel Act. All injury lawsuits under the Suits in Admiralty Act or the Public Vessel Act must be filed in US Federal District Court.

The Federal Courts are made up of Circuits. For example, if you file a lawsuit in California will be heard by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Most Suits in Admiralty Act lawsuits can be filed in the Federal District where the injured Seaman resides.


Questions about your rights and safety?

The Turley Law Firm understands that you have questions about your rights and safety, and are probably concerned what might happen to you if you were injured aboard a Military Sealift Command vessel. We are committed to fighting to get you the justice you deserve, and maybe help you regain your peace of mind in the process. Contact The Turley Law Firm today to discuss your case with Military Sealift Command Attorney.


* USNS ABLE,
* USNS BOWDITCH,
* SSV C-CHAMPION,
* SSV C-COMMANDO,
* MV DOLORES CHOUEST,
* USNS EFFECTIVE, USNS
* USNS BRUCE C. HEEZEN,
* USNS HENSON,
* MV HOS BLUEWATER,
* MV HOS GEMSTONE,
* MV HOS GREYSTONE,
* MV HOS SILVERSTAR,
* USNS IMPECCABLE,
* USNS INVINCIBLE,
* USS EMORY S. LAND,
* USNS LOYAL, USNS
* USNS JOHN MCDONNELL,
* USS MOUNT WHITNEY,
* USNS OBSERVATION ISLAND,
* USNS PATHFINDER,
* USNS MARY SEARS,
* USNS SUMNER,
* USNS VICTORIOUS,
* USNS WATERS,
* USNS ZEUS.





Where Should You Hire An Attorney For Your Jones Act Case or Maritime Injury Case?

California Allows Seaman and Maritime Claimants  To File Jones Act Cases and Maritime Case In California - Even If You Were Injured or Were Working In another State!

Many of the big shipping companies and fishing companies regularly recruit workers from California to work on their vessels. When they get seriously hurt, they get shipped home.

When the injury is serious, what should they do?

We recommend they call us. Many times we can bring claims for these seaman in California State Court. Flying back and forth from distant ports can really add up the costs of a lawsuit. When you bring your case in California State Court, you in effect, level the playing field between you and the insurance company.

The last thing the insurance company wants you to do is file your claim in California State Court. By doing so, you are taking away the shipping companies or fish processing companies big advantage - - making you file a claim in their state.

Thus, if you are from California and you were injured in another State or working for a shipping company or fish procession company from another state - - you should call us. If you call an out of state attorney they are most likely going to file your claim in their state.

If you call us, we are going to try to keep your case here in California. In your home court - not the insurance companies home court. Call us first.

Forum Selection Clauses

At times, lawsuits and claims must be filed where the incident occurred or, for example, pursuant to a forum selection clause, in cities far removed from where the claimant resides. Thus, we accept cases with clients that live all over America and the world. The Turley Law Firm has a world-wide practice.

Somtimes seaman may get injured in another State and there is a forum selction clause which states the lawsuit must be filed in California. In these instances, we may represent Seaman and crewmembers that come from states and/or ports very distant from California.

Based upon the foregoing California venue rules and forum selection clauses, we accept cases for injured Seaman that are injured all over the World and America, including: Ship accident cases that occur in every Ocean and Sea in the world, including the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of California, Santa Barbara Channel, Arctic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Alaska, Mediterranean Sea, Caribbean Sea, South China Sea, Bering Sea, Okhotski Sea, East China Sea, Hudson Bay, Japan Sea, Andaman Sea, North Sea, Red Sea, and Baltic Sea.


As outlined above: We accept cases for California residents which are injured allover the world and the United States, including: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Marianas Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Virgin Islands, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.


Disclaimer:

We are California lawyers. We can not and do not hold ourselves out as being attorneys from any other State. We do handle cases for Seaman that are filed in other States. In those instances we associate in local counsel and we can practice in most states as pro hoc vice counsel. As stated above, we provide legal representation for California residents that are injured all over the United States and the World.

California Jones Act Lawyer

San Diego Jones Act Lawyer

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The Turley Law Firm
626 Broadway, Suite 625
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 234-2833
Fax: (619) 234-4048
Toll Free: 866-963-0540


The San Diego, California personal injury law firm of The Turley Law Firm serves clients across  Southern California area. We give you straight talk about your legal options. We have handled cases from San Diego to Imperial Beach to Oceanside to Escondido to El Cajon, everywhere in between, such as: Alpine, Camp Pendleton, Cardiff, Carlsbad, Chula Vista, CoronadoDel Mar, Eastlake, Encinitas, La Mesa, La Costa, La Jolla, Lakeside, Lemon Grove, Mission Bay, NAS San Diego, National City, Naval Station San Diego, North Island, North County, Pacific Beach, Point Loma, Port of San Diego, Poway, Ramona, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Santa Fe, San Marcos, San Diego Harbor, Santee, Solana Beach, South Bay, Spring Valley, Vista.

We handle cases across California, including: Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Orange County, Imperial County, Los Angeles County, and Ventura County, Colorado River, Mexico, Cabo, Pacific Ocean and all the Oceans and waterways across California and the World.


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