Top Monmouth, IL Maritime Lawyers Near You

Monmouth Maritime Law Information

Rights Under the Jones Act

The federal Jones Act of 1920 gave seamen who are injured or killed while performing their jobs, or their survivors, the right to sue the employer if the injury or death was caused by negligence of fellow workers or shipmasters and receive a jury trial.

Jones Act Elements

It is in the best interest of injured seamen, or their survivors in case of death, to contact a Monmouth attorney who practices this area of law. The attorney can determine if a valid case exists, assess the damages, go to trial, or negotiate a settlement.

Best Time to Seek Legal Help

No matter what your legal issue may be, it is always best to seek legal help early in the process. An attorney can help secure what is likely to be the best possible outcome for your situation and avoid both unnecessary complications or errors.

Top Questions to Ask a Lawyer

• What is the usual process to resolve my case? How long will it take to resolve this?
• What are likely outcomes of a case like mine? What should I expect?

An experienced lawyer should be able to communicate a basic "road map" on how to proceed. The lawyer should be able to walk you through the anticipated process, key considerations, and potential pitfalls to avoid. Once you've laid out the facts of your situation to the lawyer, he/she should be able to frame expectations and likely scenarios to help you understand your legal issue.

How will an attorney charge me?

A reputable attorney will be very upfront about how he/she will charge you. The three most common fee structures that attorneys use to charge for their services are:

• Bill by the hour
• Contingent fee agreement
• Flat fee agreement

Depending on your specific legal situation, it's possible that only one type of fee structure is available. For instance, criminal defense attorneys almost always bill by the hour. In a flat fee arrangement, an attorney accepts a one-time payment to help you resolve your issue. With a contingent fee agreement, the client pays little to nothing upfront and the attorney receives a percentage of the money recovered if you win your case.

Common legal terms explained

Pro se - This Latin term refers to representing yourself in court instead of hiring professional legal counsel. Pro se representation can occur in either criminal or civil cases.

Statute - Refers to a law created by a legislative body. For example, the laws enacted by Congress are statutes.

Subject matter jurisdiction - Requirement that a particular court have authority to hear the claim based on the specific type of issue brought to the court. For example, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court only has subject matter jurisdiction over bankruptcy filings, therefore it does not have the authority to render binding judgment over other types of cases, such as divorce.

Lead Counsel Rated Attorneys

Lead Counsel's objective process independently verifies attorney records, conferring with state bars across the country and conducting annual reviews to confirm that the attorney practices in the legal categories as indicated, possesses a valid bar license, and is eligible to practice in the specific jurisdiction.