Boat and Vessel Accidents
Baton Rouge Boating Accident Lawyers
Maritime Law and Jones Act
Every year, commercial trade along the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and on the Mississippi River contribute to maritime accidents involving tugboats, barges, offshore rigs, fishing boats, crew boats, recreational speedboats, yachts or other vessels. Inexperienced or impaired captains and seamen, unsafe working conditions and equipment malfunctions cause collisions, falls, injury, and even death.
If you or someone you know has suffered a serious injury while working on a vessel, a floating offshore oil rig, or a recreational boat, the personal injury lawyers at Cardenas & Saunders can help. Contact our Baton Rouge law office for a free evaluation of your maritime accident. Know your options for financial recovery.
At Cardenas & Saunders, our experienced trial attorneys have successfully handled many complex boating and sea-going vessel accident cases for maritime clients with severe injuries — spinal injuries, head injuries, amputated limbs, crushing injuries, and drowning. Our network of experts and years of trial expertise have enabled us to millions of dollars in judgments in maritime cases.
Jones Act Claims and Maritime Law
If you have been injured while working on a ship, a Mississippi barge, a harbor tugboat, or an offshore jackup rig in the Gulf of Mexico, you may be protected under maritime law and the Jones Act. Factors that compromise the seaworthiness of a vessel and the safety of the crew are considered when awarding financial compensation. The lawyers at Cardenas and Saunders will thoroughly investigate your accident looking for failures to perform maintenance or improper safety procedures.
Like workers' compensation, maritime law ensures that injured workers are paid wage loss and medical expenses, which are called "maintenance and cure." The Jones Act allows a worker to sue for damages over and above maintenance and cure payments. An injured seaman can obtain additional compensation for pain, suffering and other damages — if he can prove negligence on the part of the ship owner or employer, or that the boat or vessel was unseaworthy.
Cure and Maintenance
- Cure covers your medical care, including hospitals, doctors, prescriptions, and rehabilitation.
- Maintenance provides a daily pay for you while you are unable to work.
Steps to Take to Protect Your Rights After an Injury at Sea
In Louisiana, you have one year from the date of your injury to file a claim. The sooner you act to contact an attorney, the better. In the immediate aftermath of an accident, you should:
- Report the accident. Provide details about your accident and your known injuries but do not sign anything that may settle or finalize your case.
- Seek medical attention. It's always advisable to consult a doctor that you, rather than your company or insurance carrier, have chosen.
- Record details of the incident. Collect names of people who saw the accident.
- Consult an attorney as soon as possible. An attorney who is experienced in maritime accident claims can advise you of your options and help you recover the maximum compensation for your injuries.
Contact a Maritime Injury Attorney
Cardenas & Saunders attorneys have represented injured barge workers, seamen, fishermen and oil workers all along the southern coast of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, including New Orleans, Lake Charles, Denham Springs, Gonzales, and Houma. If you've been injured in a boating accident, contact us toll-free at (877) 354-4529 for:
- Free initial consultations in English or Spanish — Se Habla Español
- Contingent fees in injury cases — no recovery means no fees or costs
- Attorneys licensed in state and federal courts in Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi
- Leonard Cardenas III, is a Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
