Offshore Injuries in New Orleans

We’ve Won Over $1 Billion for Injured Workers. We’ll Fight for You Too.

The Port of New Orleans connects the Gulf of Mexico to 14,500 miles of inland waterways, placing our city at the center of one of the most active maritime economies in the country. Roughly one-fifth of all Louisiana jobs tie back to the maritime industry in some form. When workers in that economy are seriously hurt, their claims are governed by federal maritime law, not Louisiana workers’ compensation, and the rights available to them can go significantly further. At Clayton, Frugé & Ward, we represent offshore and maritime workers injured on vessels, rigs, ports, and waterways throughout the greater New Orleans area, bringing a proven trial record to claims against well-funded maritime employers and energy corporations.

Our attorneys have secured over a billion dollars in verdicts and settlements across complex personal injury cases, including individual trial verdicts of $411 million, $171 million, $117 million, and $75 million. When offshore workers face insurance defense teams that begin building their case the moment an accident is reported, having attorneys who have demonstrated they can take cases to verdict changes the dynamic entirely.

If you or a family member was injured working offshore or on Louisiana’s waterways, contact Clayton, Frugé & Ward today for a free consultation. We work on a contingency fee basis and collect no fee unless we recover compensation for you. Call us at (225) 209-9943.

Workers We Represent in Offshore Injury Cases

Offshore and maritime injury claims arise across a wide range of roles and vessel types. We handle claims for workers on crew boats, supply vessels, tugboats and barges, jack-up rigs, semi-submersibles, and dredges operating throughout the Gulf of Mexico and along the Mississippi River. Crew boats and supply vessels departing the greater New Orleans area are among the most common sources of maritime injury claims filed in the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Our representation also extends to workers injured on fixed offshore platforms and at port facilities including docks, wharves, and terminals. Worker roles we handle include deckhands, roustabouts, floor hands, crane operators, service hands, captains, and longshoremen. The legal framework that applies depends on the worker’s role, the structure they were working on, and where the injury occurred. Employers sometimes dispute a worker’s classification to limit liability. We know how those tactics work and how to counter them.

Federal Laws That Govern Offshore Injury Claims

Several distinct federal statutes apply to maritime and offshore injuries, and which one covers a particular worker depends on specific facts about their job, vessel, and accident location. Identifying the right law is one of the first and most consequential steps in any offshore injury claim.

Jones Act & General Maritime Law

The Jones Act (also known more formally as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920) gives qualifying seamen the right to sue their employer directly for negligence, a right that doesn’t exist under standard workers’ compensation. General maritime law adds two fault-independent protections: maintenance, which covers daily living expenses during recovery, and cure, which covers all reasonable medical care until the worker reaches maximum medical improvement. The unseaworthiness doctrine goes further still, placing an absolute duty on vessel owners to provide a seaworthy vessel. Similar to maintenance and cure, workers bringing an unseaworthiness claim don’t need to prove negligence. Jones Act claims carry a three-year statute of limitations.

Non-Jones Act Protections

Outside of the Jones Act, maritime workers have other legal protections when they are involved in on-the-job accidents or suffer injuries related to their work.

Some of the key legal protections include: 

• The Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA), which covers dockworkers, shipbuilders, and harbor workers who don’t qualify as Jones Act seamen and provides federal compensation benefits regardless of fault. LHWCA claims require employer notice within 30 days and a formal claim within one year.
• The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), which governs injuries on fixed platforms and structures on the Outer Continental Shelf beyond state waters, with Louisiana law applying to negligence claims against third parties for injuries occurring off the Louisiana coast. 
• The Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA), which provides wrongful death damages to surviving family members when a maritime worker dies more than three nautical miles from shore. 

Each statute carries different rights, deadlines, and procedures. We work through those details carefully so you understand what you may be entitled to, not just the minimum your employer’s insurer is willing to offer.

Our Willingness to Go to Trial Changes How Companies Negotiate

Offshore injury defendants are typically large maritime employers, oil and gas companies, or vessel owners with experienced insurance defense teams. A law firm’s demonstrated willingness to take cases to trial often changes how those defendants evaluate a claim and what they may be willing to pay to resolve it.

Our $117 million verdict is Louisiana’s largest single-injury verdict on record, obtained for a mother injured in an ambulance accident. Though past results do not guarantee future outcomes, this reflects the depth of catastrophic injury trial experience we bring to every complex case, including offshore injury claims. 

We accept cases other law firms reject. Complex offshore claims involving disputed seaman status, multiple liable parties, or employer tactics designed to minimize benefits are the kind our team is built to handle. Our New Orleans offshore injury attorneys reflect Louisiana’s diverse communities, with backgrounds that shape how cases are presented and argued before juries in the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Steps to Take After an Offshore Accident or Injury

What you do in the hours and days after an offshore accident can significantly affect your claim. Surveillance footage, maintenance records, crew logs, and witness accounts can disappear quickly as shifts change and platforms are cleaned. Acting promptly matters.

If possible, you should: 

• Report the Injury Immediately. Notify a supervisor and make sure an official incident report is completed before leaving the vessel or platform.
• Get prompt medical evaluation and care. Seek treatment as soon as possible, both for your health and because documented medical care establishes a record that can’t be recreated later.
• Don’t give a recorded statement to the employer’s insurance company or claims department before speaking with an attorney.
• Don’t sign anything without talking to a lawyer. Settlement documents and return-to-work clearances require independent legal and medical review before you sign.
• Document what you can. If it’s safe to do so, photograph equipment, conditions, and anything relevant to how the injury occurred.
• Contact an offshore injury attorney in New Orleans. Early involvement by an attorney can help preserve evidence, secure witness accounts, and protect against employer-side delays.

Talk to an Offshore Injury Lawyer in New Orleans at No Cost

We offer free consultations for injured offshore and maritime workers throughout Louisiana. There’s no fee unless we recover compensation for you. If you were hurt in the Gulf of Mexico, while working on a Louisiana waterway, or at a port facility in the greater New Orleans area, tell us what happened and we can tell you how we can help.

Call Clayton, Frugé & Ward at (225) 209-9943 or contact us through our website to speak with an attorney about your offshore injury case today.