Florida provides some of the best fishing and shrimping grounds in the world. As a result, there are many vessels and vessel owners that hire people to work in the fishing and shrimping industry. These jobs tend to be well-paying jobs, but also tend to be dangerous jobs. We have handled numerous injury cases over the years where fisherman or shrimpers have been injured as a result of the unseaworthiness of the vessel or the negligence of a fellow crew member or vessel owner. In these situations, the injured crew member can file suit against the vessel owners and operators. These injured seaman are treated as Jones Act Seaman. They are entitled to Maintenance and Cure benefits, even when there is no negligence on the vessel owner or vessel operator. The injury or illness must simply manifest itself during the course of the voyage. In addition, the injured seaman can be entitled to unearned wages. Unearned wages is the same amount payable to the injured fisherman that he would have received if he would have completed the voyage. Causes of action for Jones Act Seaman, for Maintenance and Cure, for Seaman’s wages, and for Unearned Wages, are foreign to most land based lawyers. It is important to pick a lawyer that knows the laws of the sea. If you are a crew member onboard a fishing vessel or shrimping vessel and have been injured, call us for a free consultation to determine what your legal rights are.