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Louisiana’s Proven Barge Injury Lawyers

 

As a leading Jones Act law firm based in New Orleans, The Young Firm is dedicated to advocating for injured maritime workers nationwide. If you were hurt while working offshore, on a vessel, or in a maritime setting, you deserve fair compensation to secure your future.

 

30+ years of Jones Act & Maritime Law Experience.

Proven track record of multi-million dollar awards.

We are client-focused & prioritize your well-being.

WHY US

Hiring the Right Maritime Attorneys Makes All the Difference in Getting the Results You and Your Family Count On.

Maritime cases can be complicated; they take time and money to work properly, and your attorney needs to be ready to dig in and do the work necessary to get you the best possible results on your claim. 

Most maritime claims are filed in the Federal Court, and many attorneys are scared to appear in the Federal Court and are unfamiliar with the deadlines and the Federal Rules. There is a reason the best maritime law firms tend to focus on maritime claims for the majority of their work; the claims take that level of dedication and commitment.

For more than 30 years our law firm has been focused on helping injured maritime workers throughout all state and Federal courts in the Gulf Coast.

Maritime Injury Cases We Handle:

Maintenance & Cure Law
Jones Act Safety Regulation
Jones Act Injury Law
Maritime Injury Law
Oil Rig Injury Law
Longshore Injury Law
Vessel Injury Law
Barge Injury Law
Overseas Injury Law

Life Changing Results

$35,000,000

Verdict in Houma, La

$16,000,000

Settlement in New Orleans Federal Court

$10,000,000+

Settlement for Oilfield Workers in Louisiana and Mississippi

$6,000,000

Settlement in Lake Charles, LA

What Our Clients Say About Us

LEARN MORE

Is Your Case Worth Filing a Claim? Walk Through Our Claim Assessment Video

Is your case worth filing a claim? Would the compensation be worth the legal and court fees? Besides financial costs, there are many different challenges and obstacles you may face in your case. Fill out the form below to find out whether your claim is worth filing.

Start My Personal Maritime Claim Assessment

Key Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Maritime Attorney

Do they really know and spend time in the court system where your claim will be filed?

We have spent more than 30 years building our reputation with the judges and magistrates in and around the New Orleans area. In Louisiana, we have regularly appeared in all of the hiughlighted courts.

What are their results?

Here is a small sample of the type of the results we have obtained in Gulf Coast courts:

  • • $35 Million Verdict in Houma, Louisiana
  • • $16 Million Settlement New Orleans Federal Court for two Louisiana workers
  • • $10+ Million Settlement for Oilfield Workers throughout Louisiana and Mississippi
  • • $6 Million Settlement in Lake Charles, Louisiana
  • • $5+ Million Settlement New Orleans Federal Court
  • • $3+ Million Verdict in New Orleans Federal Court
  • • $2+ Million Verdict New Orleans Federal Court
  • • $1+ Million Verdict New Orleans Federal Court
  •  

How much of their time is spent handling maritime claims?

For us, 90-95% of our practice focuses on maritime injury claims. Some of the companies we have successfully taken on over the years include:

Acadian Towboats, ACBL, ADM, Alpha Marine, Associated Terminals, Black Elk Energy LLC, Blessy Marine, Chet Morrison, Chevron, Cooper Marine, Crosby Tugs LLC, ConocoPhillips Company, Delaware Marine Service, Delta Towing, Diamond Offshore, Edison Chouest Offshore, ENSCO, Genesis Energy, Great Lakes Dredging, Hornbeck Offshore, Ingram Barge Company, Jackson Offshore, Kirby Inland Marine, L&M Bo Truc Rentals, Maersk, Magnolia Marine Transport, Marquette Transportation, Murphy Oil, Noble Drilling, Noble Energy, Offshore Liftboats, Parker Drilling, Pelican Offshore, Phillips 66 Company, Rowan, Schlumberger, Seadrill, Sea Fox Boats, Shell, Tetra Marine, Tidewater Marine, Transocean, Weber Marine, Wood Group Production, Yamaha Motor Company, and many more.

Will my family be entitled to death benefits under the Jones Act if I am injured or killed offshore working at sea in Louisiana?

It’s well known that the maritime industry presents especially dangerous working conditions for offshore workers. If your loved one was hurt or fatally injured at sea, you don’t have to deal with the next steps alone.

Will Your Family Be Entitled to Death Benefits?

Yes, your family may be entitled to death benefits under the Jones Act if you are injured offshore or killed while working at sea. Although seamen can receive maintenance and cure benefits if injured, there are many other damages that they or their families can claim if they sustain injury or are killed because of employer negligence. Proving negligence is crucial for a successful claim under the Jones Act.

Working on a contingency fee basis can alleviate financial stress for clients, allowing them to focus on recovery while their attorneys handle the legal complexities. In fact, many large awards have been paid for injuries or deaths at sea.

mother holding child in a sunlit field.

Maritime Law and Wrongful Death Claims

Maritime law, also known as admiralty law, is a complex and specialized area of law that governs maritime activities, including shipping, navigation, and employment on vessels. The Jones Act, a federal law passed in 1920, is a crucial component of maritime law, providing protection and compensation to injured maritime workers.

If a maritime worker is killed on the job, their family may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim under the Jones Act. This type of claim allows the family to pursue compensation for their loss, including funeral expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Wrongful death claims can be particularly challenging, but an experienced legal team can provide the guidance and support needed to succeed.

How the Jones Act Helps Maritime Workers and Grieving Families

If you are a maritime worker, it is essential to understand your rights and options under the Jones Act. A Jones Act claim can help you receive fair compensation for injuries you’ve sustained at sea, as well as helping your loved ones pursue compensation if anything happens to you while you’re working.

If you’re the loved one of a maritime worker who has been injured or killed at sea, a Jones Act lawyer can help you navigate the legal process of receiving your rightful compensation. This includes medical bills, pain and suffering, and loss of present and future wages.

Eligibility for Benefits Under the Jones Act

To be eligible for benefits under the Jones Act, a maritime worker must be considered a “seaman.” and employer negligence must have played a role in the injury.

The term “seaman” refers to crew members, officers, and other employees who work on vessels, as well as offshore workers who are employed on oil rigs, platforms, or other maritime structures. To qualify as a seaman, the maritime worker must spend at least 30% of their worktime on a vessel or fleet of vessels.

For those who qualify as “seamen,” the next question is whether employer negligence was a factor in the accident. This could account for a number of things such as improper training, an insufficient number of crew members, and dangerous ship or equipment conditions.

An experienced Jones Act attorney can help you look into different forms of negligence, and help you determine your benefit eligibility.

What’s Covered Under the Jones Act

Injury benefits may include:

  • past and future lost wages;

  • medical and physical therapy expenses;

  • nursing services; and

  • costs for re-training.

Death benefits may include:

  • funeral expenses;

  • loss of companionship; and

  • loss of future wages.

It is up to the judge to determine how much compensation you or your family may receive. There is no limit to the amount of compensation, and punitive damages may also be available if willful gross negligence is found to be the cause of an injury or death.

Why a Jones Act Lawyer is Crucial

The Jones Act allows injured maritime workers to pursue compensation for their injuries by filing a claim against their employer. To succeed in a Jones Act claim, you must prove that your employer’s negligence or the negligence of a fellow crew member caused your injury. This may involve speaking to witnesses, providing expert testimonials, recovering footage, or coordinating with manufacturers.

Gathering evidence and building a strong case to prove negligence is your best bet for fair compensation. An experienced Jones Act lawyer can help you with that.

Legal Guidance When Pursuing a Jones Act Claim

Picture of maritime injury toolkit

Contact a maritime personal injury attorney from The Young Firm and be sure to check out our free publicationsEmployee’s Guide to Maritime Injury Law and 6 Secrets Your Company May Not Tell You When You Get Injured Offshore.

If you’ve lost a loved one as a result of employer negligence, you are entitled to compensation under the Jones Act. Our Louisiana Jones Act lawyers will help you navigate the legal process so that you receive the compensation you deserve.

Contact us at 504-680-4100 for a free consultation.