Louisiana Maritime Injury Lawyer | Houma
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Louisiana Maritime Injury Lawyer | Houma
Experienced Louisiana Maritime & Offshore Attorney
Home » Maritime Injury
Injured? Joe Knows.
No Fee Unless We Win
Hurt offshore, on a boat, or on the dock? Don’t sign anything, don’t take their doctor. Call us first. We know the Jones Act, we know the companies, and you owe us nothing unless we win your case.
- Trusted since 1977 — 45+ years fighting for South Louisiana families
- A real person answers 24/7 — no voicemail, no robots, no out-of-state call center
- No junior associates on your case. Joe works with every client directly
- No fee unless we win. Free consultation. Multi-million-dollar recoveries.
45+Years Serving South Louisiana
1989Firm Founded in Houma
MillionsRecovered for LA Families
24/7Live Answering — No Robots
You were hurt offshore, on a boat, on a rig, or on the dock. The company is telling you to sign paperwork, take their doctor, and get back to work. You need a Houma maritime lawyer who knows the Jones Act cold and has fought these companies since 1989.
You Work Offshore. You Deserve a Lawyer Who Knows the Water.
The Gulf doesn’t forgive mistakes. Neither do the companies and insurance adjusters who show up the minute an offshore worker gets hurt. You know how it goes: the company nurse says you’re fine. The claims specialist says they’ll “take care of you.” The safety manager wants a “quick statement.” None of that is for you. It’s for their file. It’s for the fight they’re already preparing.
I’m Joe Kopfler. I opened this practice in Houma in 1981 after being admitted to the Louisiana Bar in 1977. I’ve handled Jones Act, LHWCA, general maritime, and offshore injury cases in the 32nd Judicial District Court and federal court for more than four decades. This is not a satellite office. There is no managing partner in New Orleans deciding whether your case gets attention. We live here. We work here. We’re from here.
Injured? Call Now — 985-851-3311 — a real person answers 24/7. No voicemail. No robot.
Get A Free Consult
Areas We Serve
Kopfler & Hermann represents injured offshore and maritime workers throughout South Louisiana, including:
If you were hurt on a vessel, a fixed platform, a jack-up rig, a supply boat, a crew boat, a tug, a barge, or a dock anywhere in the Gulf or Louisiana’s inland waters, we can help.
Types of Maritime Cases We Handle
Jones Act vs. LHWCA: Which One Applies to You?
Getting this right is the difference between a real recovery and a workers’ comp-style payout. Here’s the short version:
- Jones Act — Covers seamen assigned to a vessel in navigation (crew members). Federal law — 46 U.S.C. § 30104. Fault standard is employer negligence with a reduced burden of proof. You can recover lost wages, pain and suffering, medical costs, and maintenance & cure. Filing deadline: 3 years from injury.
- LHWCA — Covers longshoremen, harbor workers, and some platform workers on docks, piers, terminals, adjoining areas, and some fixed platforms. Federal law — Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. No-fault workers’ comp-style benefits. You get medical benefits and wage-loss compensation, but no pain and suffering. Filing deadline: 1 year from injury (with limited exceptions).
- OCSLA / General Maritime Law — Different rules for injuries on fixed platforms on the Outer Continental Shelf and other specific maritime situations. Filing deadlines vary.
Which one applies to you depends on your job, the vessel or structure you were on, and where the injury happened. Get this wrong and you can lose your entire claim. Call 985-851-3311 and we’ll figure out the right framework at no cost to you.
You don’t pay unless we win. Call 985-851-3311 now for a free case review.
Why Choose Kopfler & Hermann
- 45+ years handling Jones Act and offshore cases from our Houma office — not a satellite branch of a bigger firm.
- Joe Kopfler was admitted to the Louisiana Bar in 1977 and has represented Terrebonne Parish offshore workers ever since.
- A real person answers your call 24/7. The moment you’re hurt, you can reach us — not a voicemail.
- No fee unless we win. You pay nothing up front and nothing at all unless we recover for you.
- Local trial experience in the 32nd JDC and federal court. We know the judges, the defense firms, and how these cases move.
- We move fast on evidence. Vessel logs, safety meeting minutes, JSAs, incident reports, and medical records can “disappear.” We lock them down immediately.
- Multi-million-dollar maritime recoveries across South Louisiana (see verdicts below).
Common Offshore & Maritime Injuries We See
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Spinal cord injury and paralysis
- Crush injuries
- Amputation and loss of limb
- Severe burns (fuel, chemical, electrical)
- Multiple fractures
- Torn rotator cuffs and shoulder injuries from line-handling
- Herniated discs and lumbar injuries from lifting and falls
- Knee and ankle injuries from wet decks and unsafe walkways
- Chemical exposure and inhalation injuries
- Decompression sickness and diving injuries
- Hand and finger amputations from cranes, winches, and pinch points
- Hearing loss from prolonged noise exposure
- Post-traumatic stress from man-overboard, explosions, and fatalities
- Wrongful death
Call 985-851-3311 right now. A real person answers 24/7. Free consultation. No fee unless we win.
What Should You Do After an Offshore Injury?
- Report the injury in writing. Get it on the accident/incident report. Get a copy before you leave the boat, rig, or dock if you possibly can.
- Get medical attention. If the company sends you to their doctor, go — but you also have the right to your own doctor. Use it.
- Do not sign anything the company hands you until a lawyer has read it. Not a statement, not a release, not a medical authorization.
- Do not give a recorded statement to the company’s claims specialist or the insurance carrier before talking to a lawyer.
- Preserve evidence. Take pictures with your phone. Get witness names and phone numbers. Save your work clothes if they show what happened.
- Call 985-851-3311. 24/7 live answer. We start protecting your rights the same day.
- Follow through on medical treatment. Gaps in treatment are the first thing they use to say you weren’t really hurt.
How a Houma Maritime Lawyer Can Help
From the day you hire us, we go to work:
- Send letters of representation to the employer, vessel owner, and insurance carriers — every “quick statement” call stops.
- Send preservation-of-evidence letters demanding vessel logs, JSAs, safety meeting minutes, incident reports, and dashcam/CCTV footage.
- Get you to the right medical providers — specialists who know maritime injuries, not the company clinic.
- Protect your maintenance and cure payments while the case develops.
- Investigate whether the vessel was unseaworthy, whether the employer was negligent, and whether a third party is liable.
- Handle every conversation with the company, the insurer, and defense counsel.
- File suit in the right court — state, federal, or admiralty — and take the case to trial if the offer isn’t right.
How Long Do You Have to File an Offshore Injury Claim?
- Jones Act: 3 years from the date of injury (46 U.S.C. § 30106).
- LHWCA: 1 year from the date of injury, with limited exceptions.
- General maritime negligence (unseaworthiness): 3 years, in most cases.
- Death on the High Seas Act: 3 years.
Those deadlines are hard. Miss them and you lose your right to sue — forever. Don’t assume you have time. Call 985-851-3311 and let us tell you exactly where you stand.
How Much Does a Maritime Lawyer Cost?
Nothing up front. We work on contingency — you pay only if we win. No consultation fee. No expenses out of pocket. If we don’t recover, you don’t owe us anything. That’s not a marketing line. It’s the deal.
Injured? Call Now — 985-851-3311 — a real person answers 24/7. No voicemail. No robot.
Get A Free Consult
Maritime & Offshore Case Results
Every case is different. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. See full disclaimer below.
- $3,200,000 — Offshore Rig Injury. Multi-million-dollar recovery in a Jones Act claim involving a serious offshore injury.
- $1,900,000 — Supply Boat Deck Injury. Jones Act settlement for a deckhand injured due to unseaworthy conditions.
- $1,400,000 — Longshoreman Dock Injury. LHWCA-related third-party recovery for an injured longshoreman.
- $975,000 — Crane Accident on Fixed Platform. OCSLA and general maritime claim resolved before trial.
- $650,000 — Tug & Barge Injury. Jones Act settlement for a mariner hurt during a line-handling operation.
- $425,000 — Crew Boat Slip & Fall. Jones Act recovery for a crew member on an inland vessel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I a “Jones Act seaman”?
You’re likely a Jones Act seaman if you spend a significant portion of your work time (traditionally 30% or more) aboard a specific vessel or fleet of vessels in navigation, and if your work contributes to the mission of that vessel. Deckhands, engineers, cooks, tankermen, roustabouts on movable rigs, and many drilling personnel qualify. Roustabouts on fixed platforms usually don’t. If you’re not sure, call us.
What if my employer says I can only see the company doctor?
Under the Jones Act and general maritime law, you have the right to your own choice of physician. The company can send you to their doctor, but they can’t stop you from getting a second opinion or seeing your own doctor for maintenance and cure treatment. Insist on that right.
What is “maintenance and cure”?
It’s a maritime-law obligation the employer owes every injured seaman: maintenance is a daily living allowance while you can’t work, and cure is medical treatment until you reach maximum medical improvement. Employers often stop paying it too early or pay the wrong amount. We fight for the correct amount and back-pay if they cut you off.
Do I have to sue in Houma?
Not necessarily. Jones Act cases can be filed in state court in Louisiana or in federal court, and there are strategic reasons to pick one over the other. We’ll pick the court that gives your case the best shot at a real recovery.
What if I signed something at the hospital or in the safety office?
Don’t panic. Bring us whatever you signed. Some documents are enforceable, some aren’t, and the sooner we see it, the sooner we can protect you. Never assume you’ve given up your rights until a maritime lawyer reads the paper.
LET JOE FIGHT FOR YOU
If you or a loved one has been hurt, don’t wait. Call Kopfler & Hermann today for a free consultation. A real person answers 24/7 — not a voicemail, not a robot. Joe Kopfler has practiced law in Terrebonne Parish since 1977 and has spent more than four decades fighting insurance companies and getting real money for South Louisiana families. You pay nothing unless we win. Your case matters — let’s get it done.
Get A Free Consult Free Case Review
Office Location
Kopfler & Hermann, Attorneys at Law
306 Grinage Street, Suite 400
Houma, LA 70360
Phone: (985) 851-3311 | 985-851-3311
24/7 Live Answering | Serving Terrebonne, Lafourche & St. Mary Parish
The verdicts and settlements referenced are representative of cases handled by Kopfler & Hermann and are not a guarantee or prediction of the outcome of any other claim. Every case is different and past results do not guarantee future outcomes. No fee unless we recover on your behalf; client may be responsible for case costs and expenses. Joseph G. Kopfler is licensed to practice law in Louisiana.
See our breakdown of four recent Main Pass crude releases and what they mean for coastal workers — federal spill records, canal impacts, and rights that maritime employees carry into any offshore response.
Seasonal changeovers put deckhands and captains in harm’s way — our writeup on the July 6 inshore shrimp season closure and crew injury risk covers what federal maritime law protects when accidents happen during transitions.
For deckhands hurt on Louisiana boats and barges, read the Magee deckhand verdict breakdown.
Exposure claims: chemical exposure claims after a Breton Sound flow-line release.
Common Questions About Louisiana Maritime Injury Claims
How long do I have to file a Jones Act claim in Louisiana?
The Jones Act has a three-year statute of limitations from the date of injury for most cases. However, delays hurt evidence and witness memory — the sooner you call a Houma maritime lawyer, the stronger your case. State personal injury deadlines in Louisiana are just one year, and if your case sits in that gray area between state and maritime jurisdiction, waiting can cost you. Call (985) 851-3311.
What is the difference between the Jones Act and LHWCA?
The Jones Act covers seamen — workers with a substantial connection to a vessel in navigation. The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) covers harbor workers, longshoremen, and shipbuilders who work over navigable water but don’t qualify as seamen. Which law applies to your case depends on your specific duties, the vessel, and where the injury happened. We sort that out in the free consultation.
Can I sue my employer for a Gulf of Mexico offshore injury?
Yes — the Jones Act specifically allows seamen to sue their employer for negligence. This is different from typical workers’ compensation, which usually bars suing your employer. If you were injured on a vessel in the Gulf of Mexico and your employer’s negligence, an unseaworthy condition, or a defective piece of equipment contributed to your injury, you have the right to pursue full damages including lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and maintenance and cure.
What is maintenance and cure in a Louisiana maritime case?
Maintenance and cure is a maritime employer’s obligation to pay a seaman injured or ill while in service of a vessel. Maintenance covers daily living expenses; cure covers medical treatment until you reach maximum medical improvement. This is available regardless of fault. If your employer stops paying maintenance and cure early or denies it entirely, that’s an additional legal claim we can pursue.
Do I need a Houma maritime lawyer or can I use any Louisiana attorney?
Maritime law is federal, complex, and different from general personal injury law. Houma is at the center of Louisiana’s maritime and offshore industry — Kopfler & Hermann has been in Houma since 1977 handling these exact cases for deckhands, roustabouts, riggers, and vessel crew. A generalist Louisiana injury lawyer may miss the interplay between the Jones Act, LHWCA, OCSLA, and general maritime law. Ask any attorney you speak to how many Jones Act cases they’ve handled.
Related Louisiana Maritime & Injury Practice Areas
Kopfler & Hermann has been helping Houma since 1977. If your case doesn’t fit this page exactly, one of these practice areas likely does. Every consultation is free and there’s no fee unless we win.
Not sure which category fits your case?
Call Kopfler & Hermann in Houma — Helping Houma Since 1977.
(985) 851-3311
Louisiana Parishes and Ports We Serve for Maritime Injury Cases
Louisiana’s coast runs deep into maritime commerce. From the Port of Houma and Port Fourchon down to Cameron Parish, thousands of Louisiana workers make their living on vessels, platforms, and along the waterways. Kopfler & Hermann has been helping Houma since 1977 — and that experience extends to workers hurt across South Louisiana’s maritime corridor.
Terrebonne Parish maritime cases
Terrebonne Parish is the heart of our practice. Houma, Chauvin, Dulac, Montegut, and the Port of Houma sit inside Terrebonne. Vessel and offshore crews staging out of the Port of Houma, Bayou Terrebonne, and the Houma Navigation Canal call this parish home. If you were injured on a vessel or offshore rig and live in Terrebonne Parish, come see us — we’re on Grinage Street.
Lafourche Parish maritime cases
Lafourche Parish contains Port Fourchon — one of the most important offshore energy service ports in the Gulf of Mexico. Golden Meadow, Galliano, Cut Off, Larose, Lockport, Raceland, and Thibodaux all sit in Lafourche. Crew boats, supply vessels, offshore service vessels, and platform support boats work out of Port Fourchon constantly. If you were hurt on a vessel connected to Port Fourchon or Bayou Lafourche, the Jones Act, LHWCA, or OCSLA likely applies.
St. Mary and Assumption Parish maritime cases
Morgan City, Berwick, Amelia, and Patterson sit in St. Mary Parish — historic hubs for shipyards, oilfield service vessels, and inland waterway commerce along the Atchafalaya. Assumption Parish adds Belle River, Pierre Part, and Napoleonville. Barge crews, tugboat workers, and shipyard workers hurt in these parishes have both maritime and third-party liability options depending on the facts.
Wider Louisiana coast: Cameron, Iberia, Plaquemines, Jefferson, Orleans, and beyond
We accept maritime cases from workers hurt out of any Louisiana port — Cameron, Delcambre, Intracoastal City, Empire, Venice, Belle Chasse, Harvey, Westwego, and New Orleans. If your employer is based elsewhere but you were hurt in Louisiana waters or on a Louisiana-connected vessel, we can help. Call (985) 851-3311 for a free consult.
The July 2026 mystery oil spill at Holly Beach in Cameron Parish reminded us how many Louisiana boat crews and coastal workers rely on OPA 90. See our breakdown on Louisiana worker and landowner claims after the Holly Beach spill.
