Cut Off and neighboring Galliano sit right in the heart of Louisiana’s offshore marine industry — this stretch of Bayou Lafourche is home to one of the largest offshore vessel operators in the Gulf, and thousands of local families make their living as mariners, deckhands, engineers, and shipyard hands running crew boats and supply vessels down LA 1 to Port Fourchon and out into the Gulf. It is demanding, dangerous work, and when someone gets hurt on a vessel or in the yard, the company’s insurer starts building its defense the same day.
Kopfler & Hermann has represented injured South Louisiana workers since 1977. Our Houma office is a straight run up the bayou from Cut Off, and we understand the vessels, the companies, and the maritime law that governs offshore work out of Lafourche Parish. Call (985) 851-3311 for a free, confidential consultation — no fee unless we win.
An offshore injury is not an ordinary “work accident.” Depending on where you were and what you were doing when you were hurt, your claim may fall under federal maritime law — not the Louisiana workers’ compensation system most people expect. Getting this wrong can cost an injured worker their recovery. The main frameworks are:
Every case is different, and no honest lawyer can promise a number. What the law allows an injured seaman or offshore worker to pursue generally includes:
Offshore claims run on federal deadlines, and which one applies depends on your job and where you were hurt:
That gap is exactly how offshore workers lose good cases: someone assumes they have three years when they were really under the one-year LHWCA clock the whole time. On top of that, vessels get repaired, rig logs get overwritten, and crews rotate off. The sooner we’re involved, the more of your case we can protect. Don’t guess which deadline is yours — call us and we’ll tell you.
We know the reality: you’re offshore, you can’t reach a lawyer from the rig or the boat, and the company will want a report before you’re ever back on land. Here’s how to protect yourself:
Our Houma office represents injured mariners and offshore workers throughout lower Bayou Lafourche and South Louisiana, including Cut Off, Galliano, Golden Meadow, Larose, Leeville, and the crews shipping out of Port Fourchon. If you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you.
Generally, if you have a substantial connection to a vessel (or a fleet of vessels) in navigation and contribute to its work — courts often look at whether you spend roughly 30% or more of your time aboard — you may qualify as a seaman. It’s a fact-specific question, and one the company’s insurer has every incentive to answer in its favor. We look at it independently and honestly.
Almost certainly not. Offshore workers nearly always have to give an incident report before they’re back on land, and that’s expected. What matters most is what you signed and whether an insurer later got a recorded statement out of you. Bring us whatever you have or remember — the time to be careful is now, with the adjuster’s recorded interview and any settlement paperwork.
You generally have the right to seek your own medical evaluation. A company-selected doctor is not the last word on your health or your case.
Nothing up front. We handle offshore injury claims on a contingency basis — no fee unless we recover for you. Consultations are free.
Yes. The size of your employer, or the fact that it’s a local company, does not take away your rights as an injured seaman or maritime worker. The law is the same whether you work for a small operator or one of the largest in the Gulf. We evaluate your case on the facts, not on who signs your check.
Don’t let the company decide what your injury is worth. Call Kopfler & Hermann at (985) 851-3311 for a free, confidential consultation. We’ll listen, answer your questions honestly, and tell you whether we believe you have a case worth pursuing. No pressure. No fee unless we win.
Kopfler & Hermann, Attorneys at Law — Helping Houma and the bayou since 1977
306 Grinage St, Houma, LA 70360 · (985) 851-3311
This page provides general information about Louisiana and federal maritime law and is not legal advice. Deadlines and rights vary by the specific facts of each case. Contact Kopfler & Hermann at (985) 851-3311 to discuss your situation. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Kopfler & Hermann represents injured offshore, oilfield, and maritime workers across South Louisiana. If your community isn’t listed here, call us anyway — we serve the whole bayou region. Start with our Houma Maritime & Offshore Injury Lawyer hub, or choose a nearby community:
