Louisiana Tanker Accident Lawyers
Tanker Accident Claims in New Orleans, Jefferson Parish & Across Louisiana
Tankers carry crude oil, fuel, chemicals, and asphalt on the Mississippi River every day, past Baton Rouge and Port Allen, through the river parishes, and down past Jefferson Parish and New Orleans to the Gulf. The people who crew those ships, load them, and work the docks and boats around them do hazardous work, and when a company cuts a corner they are the ones who pay for it.
At Clayton, Frugé & Ward, we represent workers and families after tanker accidents anywhere in Louisiana. To talk with our team about what happened, call (225) 209-9943 for a free consultation.
Who We Represent After a Tanker Accident
The law that protects you depends on the job you were doing.
If you are a member of the tanker's crew, you are likely a seaman under the Jones Act. That gives you the right to sue your employer for negligence, to receive maintenance and cure while you recover regardless of fault, and to bring a claim if the ship was not fit for its work.
If you work on the dock or at a terminal, you are probably covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act. Those benefits come from your employer. When your injury was "caused by the negligence of a vessel," the same law says you "may bring an action against such vessel as a third party," which can mean a claim against the tanker's owner too.
If you crew a tugboat or towboat that was assisting a tanker or was struck by one, you may have claims against both your own employer and the tanker's owner. If you lost a husband, wife, parent, or child, our tanker accident attorneys in Louisiana can explain which wrongful death law applies.
What Federal Investigators Have Found in Louisiana Tanker Accidents
The National Transportation Safety Board investigates serious marine accidents and publishes what it finds. Two of its Louisiana investigations show how decisions made far from the deck put crews in danger.
A Captain Who Had Not Slept
On October 17, 2020, the tanker Atina, with a crew of 21, struck an oil and gas production platform near Pilottown while trying to anchor at night. Nobody was hurt, but the people on the platform had to be evacuated by helicopter and the damage came to $72.9 million. The NTSB put the cause on the ship's operating company for not giving the incoming master enough time to take over the vessel. The master told investigators he had gone more than 50 hours without sleep while traveling to the ship. The company's own safety rules called for a handover of at least one day.
Passing in a Bend at High Water
On March 16, 2021, the tanker Bow Tribute ran aground at Nine Mile Point in New Orleans while trying to overtake a two-barge tow in a river bend. It then struck two barges that protected the city's water intake pipes. The NTSB found the cause was the pilot's decision to overtake in a crowded bend during high water with a strong following current, along with poor communication between the two vessels' pilots about where the pass would happen.
Neither accident injured anyone. Both show the kind of failure that does: a master too tired to judge the situation, and two pilots with different plans for the same pass.
When a Tanker Strikes a Docked Vessel
On November 13, 2026, a tanker struck a river cruise ship that was tied up at the Port of New Orleans with about 129 passengers aboard, according to the Port's statement reported by WDSU.
Maritime law has a name for a moving vessel hitting a stationary one: an allision. It also has a starting presumption, which is that the moving vessel was at fault. The owner of that vessel carries the burden of proving otherwise. People hurt on a struck riverboat or cruise ship may have their own claims. Our injury attorneys can review your circumstances and provide guidance on what to do next.
Everyday Hazards of Tanker Work
Many tanker injuries have nothing to do with a collision. Cargo tanks and pump rooms can hold too little oxygen or too much vapor, and a worker sent into a space that was not tested first can be overcome quickly. Long-term exposure to cargo fumes can lead to toxic injury claims. Vapor that builds up during loading or tank cleaning can ignite and cause severe burns. Mooring lines part under strain. Crew members fall from gangways and ladders. Short crews work long watches, and tired people make mistakes.
When one of those things happens because a company skipped a test, put off a repair, or ran the ship short-handed, that company can be held responsible.
How Shipowners Try to Limit What They Pay
After a serious accident, a vessel's owner can ask a federal court to cap its liability. Federal law says an owner's liability "shall not exceed the value of the vessel and pending freight" when the accident happened without the owner's "privity or knowledge." The owner has to file that case "within 6 months after a claimant gives the owner written notice of a claim," and once it is filed, every injured person's claim is pulled into it.
Owners lose that protection when the evidence shows they knew, or should have known, about the problem. The Atina investigation is an example of where to look: the failure the NTSB identified was the company's, and it was written into the company's own procedures.
How Long Do You Have to File?
Federal law says most maritime injury and death claims "must be brought within 3 years." Some claims carry shorter deadlines, so do not assume the three-year filing period applies to yours. The best thing to do is reach out to a Louisiana tanker accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Acting quickly also matters due to the availibility of evidence. A tanker also does not stay in port, and its crew and records leave with it. The sooner a lawyer is involved, the more of that evidence can be preserved.
Why Injured Workers Turn to Clayton, Frugé & Ward
We are a Louisiana firm with offices in Port Allen and New Orleans, and maritime and offshore injury cases are a core part of what we do. Our partners include former prosecutors who know how to investigate a case and try it in front of a jury. Shipping companies and their insurers have lawyers working from the first day. You should too.
We work on a contingency fee basis, so you owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
If you or someone in your family was hurt in a tanker accident in New Orleans, Jefferson Parish, or anywhere in Louisiana, schedule your free consultation by calling (225) 209-9943. You can also reach us online using our secure contact form.