Ship Lawyer Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Ship Lawyer facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What does the Jones Act allow an injured maritime worker to do? → Sue their employer for personal injury damages.
2. If you sustain a serious injury on a cruise ship, what type of doctor will be employed on that particular ship? → A doctor that is specific to the cruise line company.
3. A ship accident lawyer representing a longshore worker injured on a dock would typically pursue benefits under: → The Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA)
4. When the opposing party requests surveillance video of the client, the lawyer's ethical duty is to: → Respond properly to discovery and not suppress relevant evidence
5. Why is it important to prepare for the worst when going on a dream vacation? → So you can be a responsible traveler
6. In what circumstance may a state court hear a maritime case instead of a federal admiralty court? → When the plaintiff invokes the Saving to Suitors clause and pursues a common law remedy
7. What type of vessel must a worker be connected to in order to qualify for Jones Act seaman status? → A vessel in navigation on navigable waters
8. Which Supreme Court case established the three-part test for determining whether a tort has a sufficient nexus to maritime activity? → Jerome B. Grubart v. Great Lakes Dredge
9. Under the US Carriage of Goods by Sea Act (COGSA), what is the maximum carrier liability per package for cargo loss or damage when no higher value is declared? → $500 per package
10. How far does a coastal state's territorial sea extend under UNCLOS? → 12 nautical miles
11. What is the first thing you need to do if you receive a serious injury on a cruise ship? → Seek medical care from the cruise ship's doctor
12. In a charterparty dispute, what does 'laytime' refer to? → Time allowed for loading and unloading cargo
13. Can maintenance and cure be paid in lieu of workers' compensation for a maritime worker? → It depends on whether the worker qualifies as a Jones Act seaman or falls under LHWCA
14. What federal statute provides workers' compensation benefits to maritime workers who do not qualify as Jones Act seamen? → Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA)
15. What is the lawyer's duty when a settlement offer arrives that the client wants to accept against the lawyer's advice? → Communicate the offer and honor the client's decision to accept or reject
16. What is the legal standard of negligence required to establish liability under the Jones Act for a seaman's injury? → Featherweight causation standard
17. In a collision case, what does the 'COLREGs' convention establish? → International rules to prevent collisions at sea
18. What is a 'substitute custodian' arrangement in the context of an arrested vessel? → A party who agrees to maintain and care for the vessel in place of the U.S. Marshal
19. A maintenance and cure claim is improperly terminated when the shipowner stops payments: → Before the seaman has reached maximum cure, without justification
20. What is 'arrest of a ship' in admiralty practice? → Detaining a vessel to secure a maritime claim
21. What are some of the ways in which cruise ship medical malpractice can occur? → Failure to Diagnose a Severe Injury
22. What doctrine allows a maritime plaintiff to choose between filing in admiralty court or common law court when both jurisdictions are available? → Saving to Suitors clause
23. Under the Jones Act, what defense is available to an employer when a seaman's injury results entirely from the seaman's own intoxication? → Comparative negligence reducing damages
24. A lawyer must avoid a conflict of interest when asked to represent two crew members injured in the same incident if: → Their interests may be adverse, such as one blaming the other
25. Which convention addresses prevention of pollution from ships, including garbage and sewage? → MARPOL
26. Under maritime law, what does the term 'privity or knowledge' refer to in the context of the Limitation of Liability Act? → The shipowner's awareness of or participation in the negligent act
27. If a seaman dies from a vessel injury within U.S. territorial waters, the lawyer may rely on which Jones Act feature? → A survival and wrongful death action for the seaman's beneficiaries
28. In admiralty practice, what does 'security for costs' typically require? → A plaintiff may be required to post a bond to cover potential costs if the case is lost
29. A ship accident lawyer determining whether a client qualifies as a 'seaman' must show the worker has: → A connection to a vessel in navigation that is substantial in duration and nature
30. What duty does a ship accident lawyer owe regarding a client's recorded statement to the vessel owner's insurer? → Advise the client to consult counsel before giving any recorded statement