At the very end of Highway 56, where Bayou Petit Caillou spills into Terrebonne Bay, Cocodrie is as close to the Gulf as a South Louisiana town gets. It is a working waterfront of shrimp boats, oyster luggers, charter vessels, and the crew and supply boats that run offshore from the marinas and the LUMCON docks. The people who make a living on this water know how quickly a deck can turn dangerous — and how fast a vessel owner’s insurer moves to limit what it pays.
Kopfler & Hermann has represented injured South Louisiana boat and offshore workers since 1977. From our Houma office we know the fleets that run out of lower Terrebonne and the maritime law that governs them. Call (985) 851-3311 for a free, confidential consultation — no fee unless we win.
Getting hurt on a boat is not the same as an onshore workplace injury. Several distinct federal maritime laws may apply, and which one fits your work decides how your claim is handled.
Commercial fishing and charter work frequently qualify as maritime cases, but the details of your job matter. We can sort out which law protects you.
The Jones Act generally gives an injured seaman three years to file suit (46 U.S.C. § 30106). That is not a universal rule, though. If your injury falls under the LHWCA rather than the Jones Act, you generally must report it within 30 days and file within about one year — far shorter than three years. Confusing the two can cost you a valid claim. And if your case is not maritime at all, Louisiana’s personal-injury prescriptive period is two years for incidents on or after July 1, 2024. Have your specific situation reviewed early so no deadline slips.
From our Houma office we represent injured boat and offshore workers throughout lower Terrebonne — Cocodrie, Chauvin, Montegut, and Dulac — and across the South Louisiana coast. When an injury makes travel hard, we come to you.
Generally, yes if you have a substantial connection to a vessel or fleet in navigation — often about 30% or more of your work aboard. Many shrimpers, oystermen, charter crew, and crew-boat deckhands qualify. We can review your duties and tell you where you stand.
Very often, yes. Commercial fishing vessels are vessels in navigation, and their crews are frequently covered as seamen under the Jones Act and general maritime law. Do not assume you only have a workers’-comp claim — call us to be sure.
Usually not. A factual incident report is normal. The concern is recorded insurer interviews, minimizing your injury, or signing documents that assign fault or settle your claim. If you kept to the facts, you are likely fine — talk to us before saying more.
Nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee — no fee unless we win — and the consultation is free.
Not necessarily. Many claims settle without trial. We file suit when it serves your recovery, not as a matter of course.
If you or a loved one was hurt on the water near Cocodrie, talk to a lawyer who understands this coast and this law. Call Kopfler & Hermann at (985) 851-3311 for a free, confidential consultation. Our office is at 306 Grinage St, Houma, LA 70360 — helping Houma since 1977.
This page is attorney advertising and is provided for general information only; it is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Kopfler & Hermann represents injured workers and families across South Louisiana. If you are in a nearby community, we can help there too:
