Hurt working for Weeks Marine on the water?
If you were injured working for Weeks Marine — on its dredges, tugs, and barges — you are almost certainly a Jones Act seaman, with far more than a workers' comp claim. What you can recover depends on your job and what failed. Doyle Dennis Avery LLP tries inland and maritime injury cases for crews across the rivers and the Gulf Coast.
Results shown below were obtained in other matters and were not against Weeks Marine
What are my rights if I was hurt working for Weeks Marine?
If you crew a Weeks Marine dredge or marine-construction vessel, you are almost certainly a Jones Act seaman, which means far more than workers' compensation. You can recover from Weeks Marine for negligence under the Jones Act, bring an unseaworthiness claim against the vessel, and receive maintenance and cure. What you can recover depends on your job and what failed.
Key takeaways
- Dredge and marine-construction crews are typically Jones Act seamen.
- A seaman can sue Weeks Marine for negligence under the Jones Act, far more than workers' comp allows.
- Maintenance and cure is owed regardless of fault while you recover.
- Unseaworthiness is a separate claim against the vessel owner for unfit equipment or crew.
- Do not give a recorded statement or sign anything before talking to a lawyer.
On the inland waterways, the crew are Jones Act seamen.
Weeks Marine is a marine construction and dredging company operating dredges, tugs, and barges on the inland waterways and the coast. The people who crew its dredges, tugs, and barges — levermen, deckhands, engineers, welders, and operators — do dangerous work, and the law treats them as Jones Act seamen: members of a vessel's crew with a substantial connection to it under the Chandris substantial-connection test. Unlike many offshore cases, seaman status is rarely a real fight on the rivers.
That means a worker hurt on the job is usually not limited to a workers' comp check. You may have a Jones Act negligence claim against your employer, an unseaworthiness claim against the vessel, and maintenance and cure from the day you are hurt — and none of it is decided by the company's label on your paperwork.
Told you have to see the company doctor?
Inland marine employers often pay maintenance and cure and steer an injured crew member to a “company” or “approved” physician while discouraging a lawsuit. Know the difference: maintenance and cure is owed regardless of fault and is separate from a Jones Act negligence claim, and you generally have the right to your own treating doctor. A recorded statement or a quick “release” signed early can cost you far more than it pays.
Inland and coastal crews.
We represent injured crew members whatever their role on the vessel:
Deck crew
Deckhands, tankermen, and mates hurt handling lines, wires, ratchets, and cargo.
Wheelhouse & engine room
Captains, pilots, and engineers hurt by equipment, falls, or unsafe methods.
Falls, lines, and man-overboard
The signature inland injuries — parted lines, falls between barges, and going overboard.
Families in a wrongful-death case
When an inland incident is fatal, the family may have Jones Act and general-maritime claims.
What an injured seaman can recover.
If you are a seaman — and an inland crew member almost always is — you are not limited to a workers' comp check. You have a Jones Act negligence claim against your employer, an unseaworthiness claim against the vessel for gear or a crew not reasonably fit for the work, and maintenance and cure from the day you are hurt, regardless of fault. The Jones Act's pure comparative negligence means your own fault never bars recovery.
If you were just hurt, start with what to do in the first 72 hours; if you have been told you are only a workers' comp case, read Jones Act vs. workers' comp.
Frequently asked questions about Weeks Marine injury claims
Am I a Jones Act seaman if I work for Weeks Marine?
Often, yes. Weeks Marine operates dredges and marine-construction vessels, and their crews frequently qualify as Jones Act seamen, though some shoreside marine-construction roles can raise closer questions.
Can I sue Weeks Marine for a workplace injury?
If Weeks Marine was your employer and you are a Jones Act seaman, yes. The Jones Act lets a seaman sue the employer for negligence that played any part in causing the injury, on top of receiving maintenance and cure.
What is the difference between the Jones Act and workers' compensation?
A large one. Workers' compensation is a limited no-fault benefit. The Jones Act instead lets a seaman sue the employer for negligence and recover full damages, and general maritime law adds maintenance and cure and an unseaworthiness claim. A seaman's recovery is usually far greater than comp.
What is maintenance and cure?
Maintenance and cure is a no-fault maritime benefit owed to an injured seaman: maintenance covers daily living expenses and cure covers medical care, until you reach maximum medical improvement, regardless of who was at fault.
What can I recover after an injury working for Weeks Marine?
Recovery is measured by category rather than a fixed amount: past and future medical care, lost wages and lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, and maintenance and cure while you recover. The total depends on the facts, so no honest lawyer can promise a number up front.
What if I already gave a statement or signed something?
It is not necessarily fatal, but tell a lawyer right away. Recorded statements and early paperwork from an employer or its insurer can be used against you, and the sooner you get advice, the better you can protect your claim.
What should you do after an injury working for Weeks Marine?
Get medical care and make sure the injury is reported in writing. Preserve evidence early, including incident reports, photos, equipment, and witness names, and do not give a recorded statement or sign anything before talking to a lawyer.
Talk to a firm that tries inland marine cases.
Doyle Dennis Avery LLP represents injured inland and coastal crews across the rivers, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, and the Gulf Coast. If you were hurt on the water, a case review costs nothing and there is no obligation.
This page is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Doyle Dennis Avery LLP is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or otherwise associated with Weeks Marine or any related company. The Weeks Marine name is used only to identify a company an injured worker may have worked for; all trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Any case results described on this page were obtained in other matters and were not against Weeks Marine. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome; every case is different and depends on its own facts. Whether the Jones Act, maintenance and cure, or any particular claim is available depends on your specific circumstances. For advice about your case, speak with a qualified maritime attorney.
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