The Public Vessels Act (PVA), 46 U.S.C. app. § 781 et seq., is a federal maritime law which allows legal action against the United States for damages caused by a public vessel of the United States. (A “public vessel” is any vessel owned by or operating on behalf of the United States.) Although the exact definitions of the terms used in this law are esoteric and outside the scope of this article, in a general sense the PVA allows civilian seamen serving in government jobs to bring suit against the United States in cases of injuries suffered while at sea during the performance of work. The Public Vessels Act (PVA), 46 U.S.C. app. § 781 et seq., is a federal maritime law which allows legal action against the United States for damages caused by a public vessel of the United States. (A “public vessel” is any vessel owned by or operating on behalf of the United States.)
Although the exact definitions of the terms used in this law are esoteric and outside the scope of this article, in a general sense the PVA allows civilian seamen serving in government jobs to bring suit against the United States in cases of injuries suffered while at sea during the performance of work.
The PVA only applies in cases of injury occurring while employed by the government or on board a government-owned or government-operated vessel. Seamen injured while in civilian employ or while serving aboard commercial vessels are covered by other provisions of the law (i.e., the Jones Act).
If you have been injured during working hours while aboard a ship owned by or operated on behalf of the government, you may have grounds for compensation under the Public Vessels Act. Contact the Johnson Law Group to find out about how to pursue your claim and obtain the recompense you deserve.
