A seaman was injured while he was doing maintenance work in their ship while they were docked. Upon investigation, it was proven that the cause of the accident was due to the negligence of the ship owner and the captain. The seaman has every right to seek compensation for the injury because the fault of the accident boils down to negligence, which could have been prevented in the first place.

The Jones Act

Seamen are protected by the Merchant Marine Act or otherwise known as the Jones Act which states that any injured sailors can rightfully make claims and collect due compensation if it was proven that there was negligence on the part of the ship owner, captain and fellow crew members of the ship.

Insurance Companies Offering Settlement

The seaman who was injured was offered by the insurance company to settle. However, the offer was too low and it would only cover his hospital bills. The extent of his injury was very serious and it would take several months for him to recover and get back to work. This means he has to rely on his personal savings just to pay for his daily expenses. The seaman found a great solution to his predicament by going to the lawsuit funding companies.

How Did the Lawsuit Funding Companies Help the Seaman?

The seaman applied for a lawsuit settlement funding which helped him stay afloat financially while he is still unable to work. It could be very tempting to just take the smaller offer by the insurance company because cases like this can drag on for years. He knows that the money being offered to him was not sufficient enough to take care of his family’s expenses.

How Does the Lawsuit Funding Work?

The lawsuit funding companies study the cases of those applying for their funding. If they see that the case has a good chance of winning, there is a higher chance that the applicant can get the funding. If you lose the case for example, the funding company would not obligate you to pay the funding back. They can work with your lawyer to facilitate the lawsuit settlement funding that you need as your case continues in court.

The Jones Act is here to protect the seaman from any unjust practices and negligence. However, it does not cover the financial expenses of the victim when he or she is unable to work due to the injuries while the case is being heard. The best alternative is to seek lawsuit settlement funding.