The firm of Jaroslawicz & Jaros is proud to have represented many members of the NYC Police
Department Harbor Unit. These are individuals who were injured while performing their duties on NYPD boats and
launches, including repairing the vessels or while on dock and going to or from the vessels.
We were the first law firm in New York to develop the legal theory that, since these police officers were
working on navigable waters, they were protected by the provisions of the Jones Act. The Jones Act was
intended to protect workers and make it easier to recover compensation for those who were injured while working on
maritime vessels.
For a free consultation, contact us today. Call Jaroslawicz & Jaros in New
York at 212.227.2780, or fill out our online
questionnaire.
Learn About The Jones Act
People injured while working on ships or boats, or while repairing and maintaining docks, are protected by special
laws. A federal law called “the Jones Act" controls the responsibility, or “liability," of vessel owners, operators
and employers for their employees’ work-related injuries.
The Jones Act applies to seamen injured while working on ships or boats. An injured seaman can recover damages from
their maritime employer when the employer or a co-worker’s negligence caused an injury.
Liability may be established if it can be shown that the injury was caused by a failure to provide a safe place to
work, an unsafe condition on the vessel or dock leading to the vessel, or other acts of negligence or dangerous
conditions.
How Our Work Has Helped Shape The Law
In a case where our client was injured and alleged a violation of the Jones Act, the law applied to a police
officer who worked in the NYPD Harbor Unit and who was injured while employed on a boat. Attorney David
Jaroslawicz of Jaroslawicz & Jaros had the privilege of representing the plaintiff and arguing the
appeal in Oxley v. New York, No. 90-7555, United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, 923 F.2d 22; Oct. 2,
1990, Argued, Jan. 11, 1991. The issue was whether a crew member was entitled to a jury trial on unseaworthiness and
Jones Act claims because he presented evidence that employer negligence played a part in producing his injury and
raised issues of defect and insufficiency in the vessel’s equipment.
In a separate admiralty case, Jaroslawicz & Jaros was successful in the case of Murillo v.
Caddell Dry Dock & Repair Co., 05 Civ. 3202 (NRB), United States District Court for the Southern District of New
York, July 26, 2005, Decided, July 27, 2005, Filed. The court found that the suit fell within court’s admiralty
jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1333(1) because repairs to a tugboat while in ordinary dry dock were considered to be
made in water, not on land.
Jaroslawicz & Jaros was also successful in the case of CARTER v. OGDEN MARINE, INC., No. 81
Civ. 0024 (Mil), United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Oct. 2, 1981. The court found
that the wife of an injured seaman was entitled to present her claim for relief to the jury for loss of society
based on her husband’s injuries, and was entitled to recover if the injuries were attributed to the unseaworthiness
of the vessel.
Our record of success speaks for itself. Please see our past results
for examples of the verdicts and settlements we have achieved.
Accidents While Boating For Pleasure
The Jones Act protects maritime workers when they are injured while working. However, unfortunately, many injuries
also occur while boating for pleasure. If you get hurt while on a pleasure boat, there are some things that you
should know. If you get injured on a boat, whether a motorboat or a sailboat, to be compensated for your injuries
you must be able to prove that your injury was caused by someone else’s negligence.
Whether someone else was negligent always depends on the specific facts of your accident. Was it a collision
between two boats? Was it between two motorboats or a motorboat and a sailboat? Were you the operator of the boat or
a passenger?
Accidents on boats happen under many different circumstances. Some of the boating cases we have handled at
Jaroslawicz & Jaros involved a passenger who was injured when the motorboat struck a pier and a door flew off,
striking the passenger in the head; a motorboat hitting a wave, causing a passenger to fall and fracture a leg; a
Jet Ski with a protruding screw, causing a leg injury; as well as representing a passenger injured in the Staten
Island Ferry crash.
Contact Us Today For A Free Consultation
The initial consultation is always free of charge. If we agree to handle your case, we will work on a contingency
fee basis. We get paid only if you recover money. Since all law firms generally charge the same legal fee, why not
hire an experienced law firm with a proven track record?
If you or a loved one has a claim involving injuries while on a ship, boat, dock or while at sea that has resulted
in a serious physical injury and is in need of legal assistance, call Jaroslawicz & Jaros in
New York at 212.227.2780, or complete our
online questionnaire.
In many cases, a lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations.
Please call for your free consultation, to ensure that you do not waive your right to compensation. Or you can email
Abraham Jaros directly at ajaros@lawjaros.com.
Contact Us For A FREE Consultation
