JONES ACT & DEFENSE BASE ACT

The Jones Act also governs the relationship between the employer and crew aboard a United States vessel. Prior to the Jones Act, seamen were very limited as to their ability to recover for injuries aboard ship. The Jones Act made the Federal Employers Liability Act applicable to seamen. Under admiralty law, seamen are entitled to some what more liberal interpretation of the concepts of negligence and the employer has a somewhat higher degree of care. Under the Jones Act, the employer if liable for "any injury" arising in whole or in part from the negligence of any of the officers, agents or employees of the employer, or by reason of any defect or insufficiency of equipment due to negligence of the employer. The employee must prove negligence. The negligent act is not required to be the sole proximate cause of the injury.