Offshore Injury Lawyers

Northwest Louisiana Offshore Injury Lawyer

Helping those who receive offshore injuries and are seeking compensation.

As a coastal state, Louisiana sees a large number of people working offshore or in the coastal area of the Gulf of Mexico. By its very nature, working aboard a cargo ship, barge, jack-up rig, oil platform, ferry, cruise ship, or other maritime vessel is typically very risky and can present any number of offshore accidents and injuries. Negligence on the part of offshore employers and vessel owners may raise the risk of serious injury or death. This where an offshore injury lawyer comes in.

The maritime injury attorneys at Gordon & Gordon can assist you or a loved one who has suffered an offshore injury. We have extensive experience in assisting injured offshore workers obtain maximum compensation for accidents caused by equipment failures, slips and falls, explosions, fires, hazardous substance exposure, and other maritime accidents. If you’ve sustained offshore injuries, our maritime injury lawyers in Louisiana are here and ready to help.

There are a number of ways that an offshore worker can experience injuries while on the job. Some of the more common oil rig injuries include rig and platform injuries, fires and explosions, slips and falls, and deck accidents.

Oil rigs are complicated pieces of machinery. Unskilled or improperly trained employees can put themselves and other offshore workers in serious danger, increasing the chances of an accident occurring on the job. Oil rig explosions, fires, and dredging accidents may all be disastrous occurrences caused by dangerous operations on an oil rig. Because of the flammable materials utilized in offshore activities, as well as the pressurized pipes and other appendages present offshore, the risk of a fire or plant explosion is high and often leads to devastating outcomes. 

In addition, it is not uncommon for workers to fall off of ladders, lose their footing on wet surfaces, or be injured by moving heavy equipment. This, in combination with inadequate safety standards on vessel decks and abrupt unexpected movements, can result in serious and sometimes permanent injuries.

If you or a loved one has suffered an offshore injury, it's critical to know what to do and what to avoid. The first thing you should do after suffering an injury is to report it. If your injuries don’t prevent it, you'll have to fill out an accident report at this time. If your injuries are too severe, this may be done at a later date.

Next, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Although your employer may equip their own doctor to assess you, it's critical that you insist on seeing a doctor you know you can trust personally. Because they are being paid by your employer and not you, the company-selected physician may not always be looking out for your best interests.

The next step is to speak with fellow employees and witnesses to the accident. Not only will this rapport benefit your compensation claim later on, but you may not want to return to the vessel at all following the accident. If this is the case, you may need your fellow employees to help with things such as photographic evidence and testimonies regarding the conditions that led to the accident. 

Finally, you’ll want to reach out to a qualified offshore injury lawyer. This should be done before you sign any documents or agree to any form of compensation from your employer. Following your accident, your employer will generally conduct their own investigation and inform their insurance provider. It is important that you have someone there who’s determined to protect your rights and won’t allow your employers to speak for you. Again, they may not have your best interests at heart and may try to rush you to settle an unfair claim. You can rest assured knowing our on-the-job injury lawyers in Shreveport have only your best interests at heart.

As an offshore worker, it is important to know the rights you possess and what you are entitled to following an accident. This is because many companies may try to persuade their employees to accept responsibility or agree to a fast and easy settlement. They will try to make the offer sound appealing, but the majority of the time, they are trying to limit your rights before you become aware of what all is actually available to you. 

Offshore employees who have been injured have the right to appoint a reputable offshore injury lawyer to assist them in dealing with their company's offshore injury attorneys or other representatives. In addition to private legal representation, some of the other rights available to you include independent medical care, workers’ compensation, and an appropriate amount of time allotted to fully recover from your injury.

Offshore work is extremely important, but can also be extremely dangerous. Workers are exposed to dangerous conditions every day they are on the job. As we’ve already outlined some of the things that can cause an offshore injury to occur, here are some ways that these injuries might be avoided. The first step employers should always take on offshore vessels is to ensure their equipment remains clean and well-maintained. Regular inspections of heavy equipment and machinery should be a necessary safety protocol for all maritime operations.  Keeping the premises free of hazards is also imperative to the safety of the vessel. Things like puddles of water and potential fire hazards should be addressed at all times so as to ensure the safety of the workers on board. >Finally, ensuring that all employees are properly trained and up-to-date with safety procedures can significantly reduce the possibility of an offshore accident. It is up to the employers to make sure the working environment is safe for the crew. Failure to implement these necessary precautions can lead to liability on the employer’s part in the event of an accident.

Maritime Injury Statute of Limitations

After receiving an offshore injury, you can file Jones Act claims, Maintenance and Cure claims, and Seaworthiness claims regardless of whether your claim is covered by the Jones Act or maritime law. In most cases, you have three years from the accident’s occurrence to submit a claim. However, it is recommended that you do so as quickly as possible after the accident to ensure that you receive a fair amount of compensation.

Offshore Injury Lawyer in Louisiana

Offshore companies and employers know of the dangers that come with this line of work and are obligated to protect their employees from unnecessary harm and injury. Unfortunately, they often fail, and maritime workers may end up with extensive injuries as a result. 

If you or a loved one received injuries in an offshore accident, call the Shreveport personal injury attorneys at Gordon & Gordon today at 318-716-HELP to obtain compensation for your pain and suffering. We offer free consultations and work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we don’t get paid until you do.

Do you need a maritime injury lawyer?

If you or a loved one have been injured in an offshore accident and would like to find out about your legal rights, call personal injury attorneys Gordon & Gordon at
318-716-HELP right away to get them working for you.