Jones Act Web Site Launched by Williams Kherkher, A Houston Based Law Firm
The attorneys at Williams Kherkher have launched a web site that discusses the Jones Act and recent events in regards to the Jones Act.
Houston, TX (PRWEB) June 14, 2007 -- Due to the constant use of and assault on the Jones Act, a 1970 law passed by Congress, the law firm of Williams Bailey, based in Houston, Texas, has launched a Web site, Jones Act-related news, legal realities, questions and answers and directions in regards to enforcing the rights of those injured at sea. Williams Kherkher is led by Attorneys John Eddy Williams and Steve Kherkerk, and has 26 attorneys and over 120 support staff and has worked in the area of Jones Act and maritime law litigation since 1983.
The Jones Act was enacted in order to bring clarity to several other laws in existence as well as to bring uniform standards of liability and procedure to legal controversies that arose between vessel owners, employers and those who were injured while working at sea. Although the lawsuit has been seen by many as a blessing because of the clear standards and wide-ranging jurisdiction it provides, the law has also been under constant attack from different interest groups.
The latest attack comes from Texans For Lawsuit Reform, who endorsed HB 1602, a bill in the Texas legislature intended to "close a loophole in Texas venue law that has resulted in an explosion of lawsuits against the dredging industry in South Texas." Those groups named in support of this bill include Maritime Jobs for Texas and the Texas Ports Association, the Texas Waterways Operators Association, the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association and the Dredging Contractors of America.
The Jones Act has historically been opposed by employers and owners of vessels, as injured workers did not have a clear path to recovering benefits prior to the passage of this bill. Injured workers faced questions regarding which legal theory to use, which parties were potentially liable and how jurisdictional laws should be applied. After the bill was passed in 1970, those injured at sea had a clear path to recovery defined, and lobbying groups all over the United States have attempted to limit its reach on several occasions.
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