Bayou Vista sits right where the offshore industry was born. Just west of Morgan City and Berwick, at the mouth of the Atchafalaya, this is crew-boat and supply-vessel country — a community whose paychecks have come off the platforms, boats, and fabrication yards of the Gulf for as long as anyone can remember. The work that built Bayou Vista is also some of the most dangerous work in America. When a rig hand, a crew-boat deckhand, or a fabrication worker from Bayou Vista is seriously hurt offshore, the compensation available under maritime and federal law is very different from ordinary state workers’ comp. Kopfler & Hermann has stood with South Louisiana’s offshore families since 1977, and we represent injured offshore workers from Bayou Vista, Morgan City, and across St. Mary Parish.
Offshore work falls under a patchwork of federal laws, and which one applies changes what you can recover. A worker who is assigned to a vessel and spends a substantial part of his time aboard it — generally around thirty percent or more — is usually a seaman under the Jones Act, and can sue for full damages when negligence or an unseaworthy vessel causes injury. A worker injured on a fixed platform or doing loading and vessel-service work on the water may instead be covered by the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) or, on the outer continental shelf, by rules that borrow from Louisiana law. These distinctions are not academic — they decide your deadlines, who you can hold responsible, and how much your claim is worth. That is why offshore cases should be reviewed by a lawyer who handles them, not treated like a routine comp claim.
Around Bayou Vista, the Atchafalaya River, Berwick Bay, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the shipyards and fab yards along the water are the setting for injuries that are all too common: falls from height, crane and rigging failures, being struck by loads or swinging equipment, fires and explosions, crush injuries, and transfer accidents moving between vessels and platforms.
Depending on your status and the facts of the accident, you may be entitled to recover for:
A Jones Act claim generally must be filed within three years of the injury under federal law (46 U.S.C. § 30106). If your injury falls under the LHWCA, you generally must report it in writing within 30 days and file your claim within about one year, and there are notice requirements that catch workers off guard. Claims governed by Louisiana law rather than maritime law can carry a two-year prescriptive period for incidents on or after July 1, 2024. Because more than one law can be in play in a single offshore accident, do not wait to find out which deadline applies to you.
Report the injury and make sure an accident report is created. Get medical care and describe your symptoms fully and honestly. If you can do so safely, photograph the equipment, area, and conditions, and note the names of the crew and any witnesses. Keep your own copy of every document you sign. Be cautious about giving a recorded statement to a company or insurance adjuster before you have talked to a lawyer — early statements are often used to minimize claims.
We represent offshore and marine workers from the Bayou Vista and Morgan City area in platform and drilling-rig injuries, crew-boat and supply-vessel injuries, crane and rigging accidents, fires and explosions, falls from height, crush and amputation injuries, back and spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, personal-transfer and swing-rope accidents, and offshore wrongful-death claims. We also handle LHWCA claims for dockworkers, fabrication workers, and shipyard employees whose injuries are governed by that federal system rather than the Jones Act.
Bayou Vista, Morgan City, Berwick, Patterson, and the Atchafalaya communities are part of the offshore coast we have served for decades. From our Houma office we represent injured offshore workers and their families throughout St. Mary, Terrebonne, Lafourche, and the surrounding parishes. We are glad to come to you when an injury makes travel hard, and we take these cases on a contingency basis.
How do I know if I am a Jones Act seaman or covered by the Longshore Act?
It depends on your connection to a vessel. Workers assigned to a vessel or fleet who spend a substantial part of their time aboard are often seamen; many platform, dock, and fabrication workers fall under the LHWCA instead. Because the answer controls your rights and deadlines, it is worth having a lawyer review the specifics of your job and your accident.
Can I be fired for making an injury claim?
The law protects your right to pursue a legitimate injury claim. If you believe you have been retaliated against for reporting an offshore injury, tell your attorney — that is important information.
What will it cost me to hire Kopfler & Hermann?
Nothing up front. Offshore injury cases are handled on a contingency fee, so there is no fee unless we recover for you.
If you or a family member was seriously hurt offshore, call Kopfler & Hermann at (985) 851-3311 for a free, confidential consultation. There is no fee unless we win your case. Our office is at 306 Grinage Street, Houma, LA 70360 — helping Houma since 1977.
We also help injured offshore workers and their families in nearby communities, including Berwick, Patterson, Amelia, Franklin, and Gibson. Bayou Vista offshore cases connect to our main Houma maritime injury practice.
The information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading this page or contacting Kopfler & Hermann does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. For advice about your specific situation, please speak with a licensed Louisiana attorney.
