Working on the water is dangerous. Oil rig explosions, crane failures, vessel collisions, and equipment malfunctions cause injuries that change lives forever. Maritime workers injured on the job face a legal system completely different from ordinary workplace accidents. The Jones Act, Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, and general maritime law provide remedies unavailable to land-based workers, but navigating these federal statutes requires attorneys who understand their unique requirements.
Texas hosts busy ports and offshore energy operations. The Port of Houston is a major shipping hub. Offshore platforms operate in the Gulf of Mexico from Galveston to Port Arthur. Maritime workers injured in these waters need attorneys familiar with Jones Act claims, unseaworthiness actions, and maintenance and cure obligations that govern their recovery rights.
What Maritime Attorneys Handle
Jones Act Claims
The Jones Act allows seamen injured due to employer negligence to sue their employers directly. Unlike workers’ compensation, Jones Act claims require proving negligence but also allow recovery for pain and suffering, not just economic damages. To qualify as a seaman under the Jones Act, a worker must spend significant time aboard a vessel in navigation and contribute to the vessel’s function. Jones Act cases can be filed in federal or state court, with strategic forum selection often affecting outcomes.
Maintenance and Cure
Maritime employers owe injured seamen maintenance (daily living expenses) and cure (medical treatment) regardless of fault. These benefits continue until the seaman reaches maximum medical improvement. Unlike Jones Act negligence claims, maintenance and cure is a near-absolute right that employers cannot avoid by proving the injury wasn’t their fault. Attorneys pursue maintenance and cure claims alongside negligence actions to ensure clients receive all available benefits.
Unseaworthiness Claims
Vessel owners have an absolute duty to provide seaworthy vessels. When defective equipment, inadequate crew, or unsafe conditions cause injury, the unseaworthiness doctrine creates liability without requiring proof of negligence. Unseaworthiness claims can be combined with Jones Act negligence claims to maximize recovery.
Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation
The LHWCA provides benefits to maritime workers who don’t qualify as seamen, including longshoremen, harbor workers, shipbuilders, and ship repairers injured on navigable waters or adjoining areas like piers and terminals. Benefits include medical treatment and disability compensation. Third-party negligence claims may also be available when someone other than the employer caused the injury.
How to Choose a Maritime Attorney
Maritime focus. Admiralty law is a specialized federal practice area distinct from general personal injury. Choose attorneys who concentrate in maritime matters and understand Jones Act requirements, seaman status determinations, and maritime procedural rules.
Gulf Coast experience. Maritime cases in Texas typically involve Gulf of Mexico operations with specific industry practices and local procedural considerations. Attorneys familiar with Houston and Galveston courts and Gulf Coast maritime operations understand relevant factors.
Vessel industry knowledge. Understanding how offshore platforms, drilling rigs, supply boats, and other maritime operations function helps attorneys identify negligence and prove unseaworthiness. Some maritime attorneys hold merchant marine credentials or have industry backgrounds.
Trial capability. Maritime employers and their insurers fight hard against substantial claims. Ensure your attorney has trial experience and willingness to take cases to verdict when fair settlements aren’t offered.
Texas Maritime Attorneys
Abraham Watkins
Location: Houston, Texas
Website: https://abrahamwatkins.com
Phone: (713) 222-7211
This Houston firm has substantial experience handling maritime injury cases. The practice handles cases involving oil rig incidents, offshore accidents, and vessel-related injuries. The firm represents workers from Houston, Corpus Christi, Beaumont, Galveston, and Port Arthur injured in Gulf of Mexico operations.
Practice Focus: Jones Act claims, offshore platform accidents, maintenance and cure, unseaworthiness claims, oil rig injuries, vessel collisions, LHWCA claims, wrongful death maritime cases
Terry & Thweatt, P.C.
Location: Houston and Galveston, Texas
Website: https://www.terrythweatt.com
Phone: (713) 600-4710
This firm focuses on maritime and admiralty law, representing seamen injured on vessels ranging from barges and fishing boats to oil rigs, drill ships, tankers, and tugboats. The attorneys understand the distinction between vessel injuries governed by the Jones Act and fixed platform accidents covered by other maritime laws. The practice handles cases on contingency, advancing costs and collecting fees only if recovery is obtained.
Practice Focus: Jones Act seaman claims, offshore oil rig accidents, drill ship injuries, maintenance and cure, unseaworthiness, LHWCA claims, maritime wrongful death
Gilman & Allison, LLP
Location: Houston and Corpus Christi, Texas
Website: https://www.gilmanallison.com
Phone: Houston: (713) 224-6622 | Corpus Christi: (361) 357-8365
The attorneys at this firm hold U.S. Merchant Marine Officer licenses, bringing firsthand understanding of maritime operations to injury cases. The practice represents workers injured on drilling rigs, supply boats, and production platforms throughout the Texas Gulf Coast including operations off Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, and Port Arthur. Cases have involved helicopter transfers, heavy-lift operations, blowouts, and crane failures. The firm has tried and settled cases in the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas and before the Fifth Circuit.
Practice Focus: Offshore drilling injuries, Jones Act claims, OCSLA claims, supply boat accidents, platform injuries, crane failures, helicopter transfer accidents, maintenance and cure, vessel unseaworthiness
Costs and Fees
Maritime injury attorneys typically work on contingency, collecting fees only if they recover money for the client. Standard contingency fees range from 33% to 40% of recovery, though complex cases or those proceeding to trial may involve higher percentages. Firms generally advance litigation costs including expert witness fees, court costs, and deposition expenses, recovering these from any settlement or verdict. Initial consultations are typically free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I qualify as a Jones Act seaman?
Seaman status requires spending a substantial portion of your work time (generally at least 30%) aboard a vessel in navigation and contributing to the vessel’s function or mission. Oil rig workers, tugboat crew, fishing vessel employees, and supply boat workers often qualify. Platform workers whose duties are primarily land-based may not qualify for Jones Act coverage but may have other remedies. An experienced maritime attorney can evaluate your specific situation.
What is the statute of limitations for Jones Act claims?
Jones Act claims must be filed within three years of the injury date. However, maintenance and cure claims may have different limitation periods, and claims against government vessels have much shorter deadlines. Additionally, evidence preservation and witness availability favor early action. Consult a maritime attorney promptly after any offshore injury.
Can I choose to sue in state court instead of federal court?
Yes. Unlike most federal claims, Jones Act cases can be filed in either federal or state court. Strategic forum selection considers factors including jury demographics, local procedural rules, and historical verdicts. Experienced maritime attorneys evaluate which forum offers advantages for your specific case.
This directory provides general information about maritime and admiralty attorneys in Texas. It does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Maritime injury claims involve complex federal law and strict deadlines. Consult directly with a qualified maritime attorney about your specific situation.
Last Updated: January 2026
Disclaimer: This directory is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, endorsement, or recommendation of any attorney or law firm. Information about attorneys and law firms was compiled from publicly available sources and may not be current or accurate. We make no representations or warranties about the qualifications, experience, or quality of any attorney listed. Fee estimates are approximations only and actual costs may vary significantly. Always verify attorney credentials with the State Bar of Texas, confirm current contact information, and conduct your own due diligence before hiring legal counsel. No attorney-client relationship is created by use of this directory.