Offshore/Oil Rig Injuries Off The Louisiana And Gulf Coast
Under provisions of U.S. maritime law known as the Jones Act, workers injured while assigned as a crew member of a seagoing vessel are entitled to seek maintenance and cure from their employers. For workers in the commercial fisheries industry, oil exploration and drilling and oceangoing freight transport, this can mean additional money for medical treatment and lost earnings while they are unable to work.
If you were injured while working on any kind of vessel along the Louisiana Gulf Coast or another Gulf Coast state, call Siegfried Law Firm. I have been helping injured seamen protect their rights under the Jones Act and U.S. maritime and Admiralty Law for nearly 25 years. Call my office at 620-429-0476 or contact me by email to arrange a free consultation to discuss your case with an experienced Louisiana offshore vessel accident attorney. Throughout your case, I will be available and responsive to your calls and questions. As a solo attorney, I offer the advantage of being able to work directly with my clients.
From offices in Alexandria, I represent clients in Admiralty Law cases throughout Louisiana and other states along the U.S. Gulf Coast. I handle all maritime litigation cases on a contingency fee basis. You will pay NO attorneys' fees unless I help you recover monetary damages.
Do You Qualify For Damages Under The Jones Act?
In general, the burden of proof for qualifying for a Jones Act claim is often lower than for a general workers' compensation claim for a land-based worker. If you are assigned to work as a dockside or crew worker on a specific vessel, you are likely to qualify for maintenance and cure. Types of offshore vessels that fall under the Jones Act may include:
- Freighters and cargo ships
- Seismic vessels
- Dredges
- Tankers
- Offshore oil rigs
- Commercial fishing boats
- Work boats
- Shuttle boats
- Jack-up drilling rigs, jack-up barges
- Semi-submersible drilling rigs
- Supply crew boats, utility crew boats
- Cruise ships and tour boats
If You Were Injured Working Far Out To Sea
In December 2000, the Unites States Congress enacted an amended version of the 1953 U.S. Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA). The OCSLA "provides for the jurisdiction of the United States over the submerged lands of the outer Continental Shelf and authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to lease such lands for certain purposes."* If you were injured on a vessel working in the protected OCSLA area of the Gulf or Atlantic Coast, you qualify for maintenance and cure benefits from your employer. I am ready to answer all of your questions to help you recover the full monetary damages you and your family are entitled to for your injury.
Injured At Sea? Contact An Experienced Louisiana Boat Injury Attorney.
Will the lawyer you hire really make a difference in the outcome of your Jones Act case? It will cost you nothing to get your questions answered by an experienced Louisiana maritime lawyer. I offer a free consultation to explain your legal options. You pay no attorneys' fees unless I help you recover monetary damages in a settlement or trial verdict. Call us at — 620-429-0476. You can also use the convenient contact email form to send me details about your case.
*OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF LANDS ACT, THE ACT OF AUG. 7, 1953, CHAPTER 345, AS AMENDED [As Amended Through P.L. 106–580, Dec. 29, 2000]