Baton Rouge Maritime Accident Lawyer
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Were you injured in an accident off the coast of Baton Rouge, LA? Maritime accident cases can be notoriously complicated. It’s important to have a skilled Baton Rouge maritime accident lawyer in your corner. Our experienced team at Mansfield Melancon Injury Lawyers can help you fight for compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Between us, our attorneys have over 50 years of experience handling injury cases. We’ve put that experience to good work and recovered tens of millions in settlements and verdicts.
Your case may involve complex state, federal, maritime, or admiralty laws. Contact our law offices in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at (225) 263-4787, to learn more about how we can help you navigate the legal process.
How Mansfield Melancon Injury Lawyers Can Help You After Suffering Maritime Accident Injuries in Baton Rouge, LA
Personal injury claims are rarely easy. Injured maritime workers face an even steeper uphill battle when it comes to recovering damages.
Your employer might claim your injuries were pre-existing. It may be tough to identify the exact cause of your injuries. You might not even know which laws apply in your case.
Our Baton Rouge personal injury attorneys at Mansfield Melancon Injury Lawyers have answers. When you choose our team to protect you, we will:
- Launch our own investigation to determine the cause of your injuries
- Document your losses and determine your case value
- Compile all evidence needed to prove your case
- Protect you from attempts to limit your compensation award
- Negotiate with the insurance companies for a full settlement
How Do I Recover Compensation After a Maritime Accident in Louisiana?
When maritime workers are injured on the job, Louisiana workers’ compensation laws don’t typically apply. Instead, a variety of federal maritime laws may govern your case.
What Compensation is Available Under the Jones Act?
Compensation under the Jones Act is available to maritime workers who qualify as “seamen.” Seaman status is typically available to maritime workers who spend at least 30% of their time working aboard a seagoing vessel.
Jones Act “maintenance and cure” benefits cover:
- Your reasonable medical expenses related to the injury
- Basic living expenses while you recover
If you can prove that your employer was negligent, you can recover additional damages including pain and suffering if your employer failed to provide a seaworthy vessel.
What is the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA)?
LHWCA benefits may be available even if you don’t satisfy the standard for seaman status. You may qualify if you work in or on shipping areas, shipyards, shipping terminals, docks and piers, wharves, or the navigable waters. The LHWCA provides medical benefits, disability benefits, and reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses.
Can I File a Lawsuit Under Louisiana Personal Injury Laws?
It’s also possible that state law could govern your case. In personal injury cases, economic and non-economic damages are available, including past and future medical expenses, lost wages, lost future earnings, permanent disability, pain and suffering, emotional distress, PTSD, diminished quality of life, disfigurement, scarring, and loss of consortium.
We Handle All Types of Maritime Injury Cases in Baton Rouge
Reach out to Mansfield Melancon Injury Lawyers for legal support if you’ve been injured in a shrimp boat accident, commercial fishing accident, oil tanker accident, offshore oil rig accident, jack-up rig accident, accident involving marine cranes, tugboat accident, cargo ship accident, shipyard accident, accident on a ship deck, barge accident, diving support vessel accident, or cruise ship accident.
What is My Baton Rouge Maritime Accident Case Worth?
The value of any personal injury claim hinges on the facts and circumstances. Important factors that our lawyers will consider in assessing your case value include: severity of your injuries, expected recovery time, whether you will suffer a permanent disability, medical treatment costs, the nature of the at-fault party’s actions, your wages prior to your injury, and the difference between what you can earn now and your earnings before the accident.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Lawyer to Handle My Baton Rouge Maritime Injury Claim?
We work on a contingency fee basis. We only take attorney’s fees once we have recovered compensation for you. Your fees are simply a percentage of your compensation award.
Common Examples of Maritime Accident Injuries
Some examples of the types of injury claims we handle include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Nerve injuries
- Shoulder injuries and dislocations
- Puncture wounds
- Hypothermia
- Soft tissue damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Internal injuries
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
What Causes Most Maritime Accidents in Baton Rouge?
Some of the most common causes of maritime accidents include missing safety protection, failure to communicate effectively, unseaworthy conditions aboard the vessel, damaged work equipment, falls overboard, electrocutions, equipment malfunction, fires or explosions, slip and fall accidents on wet or slippery decks, exposure to toxic substances, lack of proper training or supervision, workplace violence aboard the vessel, and dangerous weather conditions.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Maritime Accident in Louisiana?
As of 7/01/2024, personal injury laws in Louisiana generally give victims two years to file a lawsuit. The Jones Act gives injured seamen three years to file a formal claim. For LHWCA claims, you must notify your employer within 30 days of your accident.
Contact a Baton Rouge Maritime Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Our team at Mansfield Melancon Injury Lawyers is here to protect injured maritime workers. Contact an experienced Baton Rouge maritime accident attorney today to start fighting for full compensation.
Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Baton Rouge, LA
Mansfield Melancon Injury Lawyers
404 Europe St, Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Phone: (225) 263-4787
Hours: 24/7